3 things India need to do right to restrict England on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test ft. All-out attack until tea with Bumrah factor in mind

The all-important Lord's Test between India and England could not be closer after three intriguing days of action. With the five-match series tied at 1-1, the two teams played to a push in the first innings with identical totals of 387.

The visitors have already watched two of their superstars, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, etch their names on the Lord's Honours Board in the ongoing contest. Another such performance with the ball from the former or one of his teammates could tilt the tie-breaking Test in their favor.

Team India should take confidence from their recent success at the venue, winning three out of their last three Tests. With little to choose between the sides through the first three Tests and in the ongoing encounter, Day 4 of the Lord's Test could be a defining moment in the series outcome.

On that note, here are three things India must get right to dominate Day 4 and potentially conquer the Lord's Test.

#1 India must only attack through the first two sessions with Jasprit Bumrah in mind

It is a no-brainer that Jasprit Bumrah will once again be India's go-to man for the majority of the fourth day at Lord's. The 31-year-old ripped the England lineup with another five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Yet, the visitors must remember the opening Test of this series when Bumrah followed up on another similarly heroic five-wicket haul with a wicketless second innings. With injury concerns and endurance levels often a factor with the ace pacer, India must attack in the first half of Day 4 to take advantage of a fresh Bumrah.

Furthermore, skipper Shubman Gill must also remember that the talismanic seamer will likely play only one out of the final two Tests. Hence, prioritizing a win at Lord's, even as they proved their ability to prevail without Bumrah at Edgbaston, remains paramount in the matches he plays.

Gill will also do well to realize England's preferences for results over draws. Hence, setting defensive fields if England employ the Bazball method could play into the hosts' hands for the remainder of the Test.

India must think only 2-1 at all times and never about heading into the final two Tests level at 1-1. An English collapse is also more likely if Shubman Gill's side attack instead of gifting easy singles at the first sign of an onslaught.

#2 An early rejig in the pace-bowling pecking order

Team India will be aware of England's top-order frailties and the impact of dismissing their best batter, Joe Root, early. After an excellent opening Test, the in-form Ben Duckett has cooled off, while Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope have looked iffy throughout the series.

While opening the bowling with Jasprit Bumrah is non-negotiable, India should quickly move to Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep (whoever plays the third seamer's role in the second innings). Both pacers prefer the new ball to maximize their impact, especially Akash Deep.

After his Edgbaston heroics, Akash Deep endured a poor first innings with figures of 0/92 in 23 overs. An instant burst with the new ball against England's shaky top-order, followed by a fresh Bumrah bowling to Joe Root, could be a template for Gill to follow on Day 4.

Lest we forget, Bumrah dismissed Root for an 11th time in Tests in the first innings despite the batter scoring a brilliant century. Should the slight rejig in the bowling plans work to perfection, India could have England two or three down early with Bumrah starting a fresh spell to Root.

It will likely provide the visitors their best chance of restricting England to a low total and possibly bat as early as the start of the third session.

#3 Timely usage of spin

Ravindra Jadeja, the bowler, could capitalize on the uneven Lord's surface on Day 4 [Credit: Getty]

While Lord's hasn't always been a venue for the spinners, Team India must use their two tweakers, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, in timely spurts on the fourth day. With England likely to mix attack and defense at different times in the day, the visitors must pick and choose the right matchups to exploit the spin duo's defensive skills.

The surface in the ongoing Test has also shown signs of unevenness, and who better than Jadeja to exploit any variances in the wicket. With his excellent record against Root and Stokes, Jadeja could play a key role through the middle and latter stages of Day 4.

It is worth recalling Australia's Nathan Lyon getting massive spin out of the footmarks on Days 3 and 4 at Lord's during the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. India will hope Sundar enjoys similar conditions, even as the Proteas chasing down 282 in the WTC final will only further bolster their confidence should they restrict the hosts on Day 4.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran