In the quest for a century, the plot was lost. Though KL Rahul became only the second Indian batsman to score more than one Test century at Lord’s, on either side of the lunch break, in a madness of a few balls, the Indian team lost the initiative. 

In the last over before the interval, Rahul took a single off the first ball to reach 98. His partner Rishabh Pant was heard on the stump mic, chiding Rahul for taking a single instead of retaining the strike and completing the century before the break. In the very next ball, Pant went for a needless, risky single to hand Rahul the strike, but was beaten by a fine throw from Ben Stokes. Instead of going wicketless in the first session, the Indians walked into the pavilion crestfallen, especially Rahul, who could not believe what had transpired.

There was no need to hurry or rush to the century before lunch, as Rahul had started the day at 53 and was batting without a hint of bother. Nor was it that he hadn’t scored a century at Lord’s previously. In 2021, he had made 129 in a game that India had won under Virat Kohli.