[WATCH] Washington Sundar sends back Joe Root during ENG vs IND 3rd Test

After losing four wickets in the first session of the third Test between England and India at Lord’s, England started to grind it in the middle, as the two captains, former and present, Joe Root and Ben Stokes, started to shoulder the responsibility. Root was the glue of the team as it also helps in his presence for the batter, from the other end, to play their natural game.

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and others were creating chances, but no one was able to pick up the wickets or break the partnership. Root was nearing another half-century, having already celebrated a record century at the venue. Then came Washington Sundar, the off-spinner, who, on his third over, broke the stand as the batter had a brain fade.

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On the fourth ball of the over, Root went for the sweep, which hasn’t been a great shot for him in the last 18 months. Since 2024, through the conventional spin shot against the spinners, the right-handed batter has accumulated only 101 runs in 95 shots with six dismissals at an average of below 17. His false shot rate is also over 32. All of these have come against the finger spinners.

WATCH: Washington Sundar sends back Joe Root during ENG vs IND 3rd Test at Lord’s

Root went for the same shot, but the ball from Sundar was on the stump line as he broke the stump. Two sweep shots have unnecessarily brought the end of the top two-ranked batters of the home side. Because Root went for the sweep from the off-stump, it exposed a huge gap in the leg stump, and that was enough to break the furniture for the bowler.

Joe Root was starting to settle, and we all know what happens when he does...
But #WashingtonSundar had other ideas.

A sharp, crucial breakthrough to stop the danger man.#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST, DAY 4 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/vo6bbH9n2o pic.twitter.com/B5RRA3bVxV

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 13, 2025

Root looked dejected as he walked back to the pavilion. India smelled a chance of making a comeback into the side. It took them so many overs to get the line and length right against the veteran in the first inning, but they were quick enough to do it in the second.

England lost Jamie Smith in the very next over of Sundar and had a lead of 170 runs with four wickets left when the article was published. India won’t mind chasing anything around 230 or 240, but once the home side, in the presence of Ben Stokes, crosses the 275-run mark, the pressure will start to mount over the Blue Brigade.