'Many players will be playing at Lord's for the first time. For both the batters and the bowlers, understanding and adjusting to the slope is going to be a big challenge.'
Former Indian wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta outlined the key areas India must focus on to carry forward their momentum after their dominating performance in the second Test against England at Edgbaston.
India and England are all set to clash in the third Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, to be played at Lord's from Thursday.
Having won the Edgbaston test with a margin of 336, India will seek to continue the winning momentum in Lord's, where they have won two of their last three Tests.
"There are three things India must do to win the Lord's Test. First and foremost, consistency. Yes, they have won the last match and levelled the series, but it is far from over. There are still three Tests to go. The level of consistency we saw in both batting and bowling during the second Test -- that needs to be repeated," Dasgupta said on Jio Hotstar.
"The second thing is to rest properly, because there isn't much time between the two Test matches. Recovery is very important, especially for the fast bowlers, and for captain Shubman Gill, who has played two very long innings," he added.
Dasgupta highlighted the slope at Lord's as a significant factor, especially for the Indian players, who have never played before at this venue.
"The third thing that is very important at Lord's is the slope. This is a slightly inexperienced side, and many players will be playing at Lord's for the first time. For both the batters and the bowlers, understanding and adjusting to the slope is going to be a big challenge. Let's hope they find answers to all the challenges and questions," he said.
India created history with a 336-run win over England in the second Test, as they not only secured their first-ever win at Edgbaston but also achieved their biggest Test win away from home in terms of runs.
Gill has already amassed 585 runs in the first two Tests at an average of 146.25 and a strike rate of over 73 -- hitting three centuries, including a career-best score of 269 off 387 balls at Edgbaston.
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