It’s expected to be so hot in London this week that the MCC has allowed members to go jacketless in the Lord’s Pavilion. The rising temperature mirrors the heat of the contest as India and England head into the third Test of the five-match series, tied at 1-1. After two intense Tests in Leeds and Birmingham, the action moves to the iconic Lord’s – a venue with its own quirks, especially the slope, which often influences the match. India arrive with confidence, especially after their historic win at Edgbaston, the first-ever by an Asian side at the venue, achieved without Jasprit Bumrah. Now, with their pace spearhead returning, India seem more settled. England, meanwhile, have handed a comeback to Jofra Archer. The pacer will be playing his first Test since 2021, fittingly returning to the ground where he made his memorable debut in 2019.Shubman Gill’s form remains a big positive for India. His marathon effort of 430 runs in the last Test has rattled England. Their bowling unit has been under serious physical strain, having spent eight out of the last ten days in the field. Their flat-pitch strategy has started to backfire, giving India’s new-look batting order room to grow.
Lord’s is expected to offer more to the bowlers early on. But one issue both sides will watch closely is the quality of the Dukes ball, which has tended to go soft quickly. The crowd at Lord’s will be fully behind England this time. With no ICC final atmosphere and loyalties split, this is a true home Test for the hosts. They need a quick response as pressure mounts.
India vs England 3rd Test session timings
The day’s play will be divided into three sessions. The first session will run from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM UK time (3:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST), followed by a lunch break until 1:40 PM (6:10 PM IST).The second session will commence at 1:40 PM and continue until 3:40 PM UK time (6:10 PM to 8:10 PM IST), after which players will break for tea until 4:00 PM (8:30 PM IST).The final session of the day will begin at 4:00 PM and conclude at 6:00 PM UK time (8:30 PM to 10:30 PM IST).
| Session | UK Time (BST) | India Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| First Session | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Lunch | 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM | 5:30 PM – 6:10 PM |
| Second Session | 1:40 PM – 3:40 PM | 6:10 PM – 8:10 PM |
| Tea Break | 3:40 PM – 4:00 PM | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM |
| Third Session | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM |
