IND vs ENG 3rd Test: England Skipper Ben Stokes Wins the Toss, Opts To Bat Against India at Lord’s

Lord’s London, July 10, 2025 – England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord’s Cricket Ground. With the five-match series tied at 1-1, both teams are eager to seize the advantage in this pivotal clash.

England kicked off the series with a thrilling five-wicket victory at Headingley, chasing down a daunting 370-plus target. India, however, roared back at Edgbaston, defying expectations despite resting key pacer Jasprit Bumrah for workload management. Shubman Gill’s sensational 430-run haul earned him Player of the Match honors, while Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj dismantled England’s batting with a combined 17 wickets, securing India’s historic first Test win at Edgbaston by a commanding 336 runs.

Also read: Shubman Gill Eyes Historic Records in Test Series vs England

After two batter-friendly pitches, Lord’s is expected to offer a spicier track with pace and bounce, as requested by England’s management. Recent matches at the iconic venue, including the Australia-South Africa World Test Championship final, have favored seamers, with first-innings scores averaging just 309. Day one could prove challenging for batters.

England announced one change to their XI, with Jofra Archer replacing Josh Tongue. Archer’s return to Test cricket after a four-year absence adds firepower to England’s pace attack, which will look to exploit the lively Lord’s surface.

India, meanwhile, welcomes back Jasprit Bumrah, likely in place of Prasidh Krishna. India’s record at Lord’s is modest, with just three wins in 19 Tests, including a memorable triumph in 2021 under Virat Kohli’s leadership, marked by his famous rallying cry to “give them 60 overs of hell.” Twelve losses and four draws complete India’s Lord’s ledger.

Also read: Ben Stokes Joins Rishabh Pant In Complaining About Dukes Ball

With pace-friendly conditions in play, the Test could hinge on which team adapts better. India’s confidence is buoyed by Bumrah’s return and Gill’s red-hot form, while England banks on Archer’s pace and home conditions. With the series on a knife’s edge, expect a fierce battle over the next five days.

IND vs ENG Live Score: PLAYING XIs

India (Playing XI):

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

England (Playing XI):

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir