
India vs England, 3rd Test: Lord’s is not just England’s home ground — it's a global cricketing shrine.
Photo : PTI
India will face England in the third Test of the five-match Test series scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the Lord's Cricket Ground, London. With the series locked at 1-1, England would look to make a comeback while India, coming from a resounding Test win at Edgbaston, would aim to maintain the winning momentum and go a step closer to winning the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy.
Why is Lord’s the Most Coveted Stage in Test Cricket?
Often referred to as the Mecca of cricket, Lord's Cricket Ground remains the ultimate Holy Grail for every cricketer. Home to the Marylebone Cricket Club, Middlesex, the stadium was established in 1814 and has a seating capacity of 30,000. It stands as the oldest active cricket stadium.
The Lord's pavilion has retained its traditional red-brick charm, the long room where players walk through a tunnel of elite MCC members dressed in their traditional formal attire en route to the ground, with the entire stadium up on their feet, has played its part in making it the ultimate pilgrimage for every cricketer. The honours board commemorates cricketers who have scored a century or taken a five-wicket haul, and has a historic reverence that just adds to the age-old charm. Recognised worldwide as a special place to play cricket's purest form, Lord’s is not just England’s home ground — it's a global cricketing shrine.
Lord of the Lord's: Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar is widely regarded as the Lord of the Lord's for scoring three back-to-back centuries in the iconic venue, a feat that remains unmatched to date by any overseas batter. He scored 103 in 1979 (drawn), 157 in 1982 (lost), and 126* in 1986 (won).
"Lord's is a big Test match, what often happens is that the opposition team turns up, the opposition batters want to get on the honours board, and the bowlers want to get on the honours board. So, Lord's is going to be a big Test match and the weather is going to be 30 degrees every day. So the wicket is going to be flat. It's going to be a batter's paradise, so if you want to bat anywhere in the world next week, Lord's is the place to bat," former England captain Kevin Pietersen told PTI on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday, highlighting the significance of the venue and the Test match.
India's first Test win in England came at Lord's in 1986, and Shubman Gill-led India would be aiming to replicate the same feat when they take on the hosts in the third Test of the series. India's last Test in the same venue also ended in a win under Virat Kohli's captaincy. Having played 19 Test matches here, India have managed to win thrice, while England have won 12 of those, with three ending in a draw.