The opening day of the third Test between India and England at Lord’s witnessed an unexpected interruption in the 81st over. Umpires called for a brief halt as a swarm of flying ants invaded the field, momentarily affecting the flow of the game. The bizarre occurrence caught the attention of players and spectators alike at the historic venue in London. Fortunately, the interruption was short-lived, and the match resumed without much delay.

One of the flying ants caused a peculiar moment involving England captain Ben Stokes. Just as he was preparing to face the fifth ball of the over, he appeared visibly disturbed. The insect seemingly entered through the grill of his helmet and struck his ear, prompting a quick reaction from Stokes. A brief shake of the head was all it took for him to rid himself of the nuisance, much to the amusement of viewers watching the live action unfold.

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Despite the odd disturbance, Stokes regained his composure swiftly, and Indian pacer Akash Deep continued and completed the over. The light-hearted moment provided some levity during a high-stakes Test match. While such instances are rare in cricket, they often make for memorable anecdotes that fans recall long after the series concludes.

Watch the video here;

A swarm of ladybirds stops play at Lord's! 🐞😅 pic.twitter.com/49lKhYHXwn

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2025

England end day 1 on 251/4 in Lord's Test

At the close of Day 1 in the third Test at Lord's, only 83 overs were bowled before Stumps were called, with England finishing at 251/4. Joe Root, unbeaten on 99, is just one run away from his 34th Test century and his 11th against India. Root, who has already crossed 3000 runs against India, will resume alongside skipper Ben Stokes on Day 2. The hosts will hope to build on their foundation and push for a strong total in their first innings.

India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy surprised many with a remarkable opening spell, dismissing both openers in his first over with the new ball. Although a century stood between Root and Ollie Pope steadied England’s innings, Pope was undone by a sharp arm ball from Ravindra Jadeja. Harry Brook soon followed, falling to a Jasprit Bumrah gem. Despite early breakthroughs, India couldn't fully capitalize, and both teams will aim to seize momentum on a pitch that showed low bounce on Day 1.