Game of glorious uncertainties, Chapter III

From Leeds to Birmingham, momentum may turn again at Lord's

- SANDEEP DWIVEDI

UNFILTERED EXCITEMENTTO watch Shubman Gill bat, unequivocal anticipation to witness Jofra Archer's return to bowl. The series level, no clear patterns or obvious favourites. The India-England Test at Lord's isn't a hard sell anyway but this one has characters, context and an unusual chaos to manage last-minute tickets.

India and England come to Lord's for the third Test with a mixed taste in the mouth—having alternately experienced a bitter defeat and sweet success. It can be argued that India, after their 336 run-win in the second Test, have an edge. So did England after India's Headingley heartbreak in the opening Test. But they couldn't make it 2-0.

This is a series of new beginnings and teams moving on from the past. This is also a series that busts the momentum myth. As England might have realised, nosing ahead proved to be a momentary high. In this Wimbledon season, the home team's 1-0 lead proved nothing more than 'advantage' that got negated by a quick 'deuce'. The visitors came up with a resounding return winner pretty quickly.