England vs. India Lord’s Test: Will it Rain in London? 

Batters might struggle at the Lord's due to the pitch's lateral movement, making scoring difficult in the third Test between India and England.

England vs. India Lord’s Test: Will it Rain in London? 

England will play India in the third Test at Lord's, starting today. (via News 18)

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With the five-match series now tied at 1-1 following India’s emphatic 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston, the focus now shifts towards the third Test. With the 1st day ended at London’s iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, it is essential to consider the pitch conditions and the weather forecast.

Having suffered a disappointing loss in the series opener at Headingley in Leeds, the Indian team made a remarkable comeback in the second Test in Birmingham. The Men in Blue not only secured a thumping win, but also gained a lot of momentum going into the third Test of the series. This turnaround was fueled by a collective effort, led by Indian captain Shubman Gill, who scored a double-century and a century across both the innings.

At Edgbaston, India outclassed the home side, both with the bat and the ball. The Three Lions, however, managed only 271 runs on the final day, losing by 336 runs. Pacers Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep were instrumental for India, claiming 17 of the 20 wickets. Moreover, the defeat highlighted England’s struggles against the new ball, a vulnerability India exploited, while also playing more effectively on the flat surface.

The action has now moved to the iconic Lord’s, which most recently hosted the 2025 World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia. India’s record at Lord’s is not great either, with the team having won just three out of the 19 matches played at the ground. However, during their most recent encounter at this very venue in August 2021, the Men in Blue triumphed emphatically by 151 runs.

In contrast to the overcast and rain-affected matches at Leeds and Birmingham, the Lord’s Test will have clear skies and uninterrupted play for all five days. BBC and AccuWeather’s forecast for the next five days, shows bright sunshine, with no rain expected. The weather is expected be clear and hot, as the city has just emerged from a heatwave, with light winds of up to 10 km/hr, temperatures between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius, and around 84 percent humidity.

Coming to the surface, the Lord’s pitch is expected to be green-topped and might offer considerable assistance to the fast bowlers, particularly in the early stages. Unlike the batting-friendly flatter surfaces seen in the first two matches at Headingley and Edgbaston, Lord’s is known for its seam movement and the slope, which can create unpredictable bounce, and batters might struggle with outside edges.

Both India and England are expected to field strong playing XIs for the Lord’s Test, as winner would gain a clear advantage in the five-match series. The home side, having expressed its dissatisfaction with the conditions at Edgbaston, will be hoping for a livelier surface in London.

Jofra Archer Back in England’s Test Side for Lord’s Encounter Against India After Four-Year Absence

England’s playing XI for the third Test match against India, at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, had an unsurprising inclusion in pacer Jofra Archer, who made his much-awaited return to the Test cricket after four years, coming in place of Josh Tongue.

Jofra Archer return England Test
Jofra Archer returns to England Test playing XI after four long years, against India at Lord’s. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

The 30-year-old returned to red-ball cricket for the first time since February 2021, having last played against India in Ahmedabad. Since then, Archer has battled recurring elbow and back injuries, alongside a significant dip in form. His inclusion is expected to provide the much-needed flair and attacking threat into the English bowling attack, which has struggled to claim crucial wickets against India.

Jofra Archer boasts a decent Test record of 42 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 31.04. Meanwhile, India also made several changes to their playing XI at Lord’s, with Jasprit Bumrah returning after missing the Edgbaston Test.