New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Ravindra Jadeja’s valiant unbeaten 61 at Lord’s in the third Test may go down as one of his finest knocks, but former India captain Anil Kumble believes a crucial tactical misstep at the end may have cost India a miraculous win.

Speaking after India’s dramatic 23-run loss, Kumble reflected on Jadeja’s heroic effort but said that exposing tailender Mohammed Siraj to a full over from Shoaib Bashir was a decision that backfired at a critical moment.

“If someone had to take a risk and get out, it should have been Jadeja, not Siraj,” Kumble said, questioning the choice to let Siraj face three deliveries when only 23 runs were needed for victory. “Allowing a full over to Bashir at such a stage was a misstep.”

Jadeja walked in during the sixth over of Day 5 with India reeling at 82, chasing 193. He batted with calm and control, slowly building the total as wickets kept tumbling around him. His unbeaten 61 nearly pulled off one of the most improbable chases in recent Test memory, before Siraj was bowled trying to survive an over from Bashir — the same bowler Jadeja had kept off strike effectively throughout much of his innings.

The dismissal stirred memories of India’s narrow defeat to Pakistan in Chennai in 1999 for Kumble. “It reminded me of that Test when Javagal Srinath was bowled by Saqlain Mushtaq while supporting Sachin Tendulkar, who had almost pulled off a miracle. It’s a similar feeling,” Kumble recalled.

While praising Jadeja’s composure and strategy through most of the innings, Kumble said he should’ve taken calculated risks earlier against England’s spin trio of Bashir, Root, and Woakes. “The pitch wasn’t turning square. Jadeja had the ability to go after them. That could’ve changed things,” he explained.

Kumble also highlighted other key moments that hurt India: 32 extras in the first innings, 65 in total, and Siraj being struck on the shoulder by Jofra Archer, which may have unsettled him before that final over.

Still, Kumble hailed the contest as a “great advertisement for Test cricket,” noting that all three matches in the series so far had gone down to the wire. With England now leading 2-1, he added, “Session by session, it’s been a tightly contested series. Test cricket is alive and kicking.

–IANS

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