IND vs ENG Test: Ben Stokes’ men likely to face consequences similar to Australia in WTC

England may have secured a thrilling 22-run win against India in the third Test at Lord’s, but former India head coach Ravi Shastri has issued a cautionary note. Shastri believes Ben Stokes’ men could face consequences similar to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle if they don’t address their over-rate issues.

England Penalized Despite Victory

While England’s victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, they suffered a setback in the WTC standings. The team was docked two points for maintaining a slow over rate, dropping from second to third in the table. Sri Lanka has now moved up to claim the second spot.

Shastri drew parallels with Australia’s fate in the first WTC cycle. “It hurts, as Australia found out. They had a slower over rate against India, and it cost them second place. New Zealand qualified for the final instead. England must be fully aware of this,” Shastri told ICC.

Winning Remains Key

Despite the points deduction, Shastri emphasized that England’s best approach is to keep their focus on winning. “There will be games where they can make up the loss. But more than over-rates, the priority should be on winning. If you keep winning, the points will take care of themselves,” he said.

Eyes on Manchester Test

After a nail-biting thriller in the 3rd match at the Lord's ground, the fourth Test begins on July 23 at Old Trafford, Manchester.