"Shubman Gill didn't look as technically tight or calm as usual": Vaughan

India skipper Shubman Gill didn't look "technically tight" and lacked the usual calm when he came out to bat in the second innings of the third Test, said former England captain Michael Vaughan even as he praised the visitors' fighting spirit on the last day at Lord's. Gill has looked in great touch in the series, scoring a century in the first Test at Headingley and then breaking a plethora of records on way to a century and double ton in Birmingham, which India won by 336 runs.

However, he could only manage 16 and 6 in the Lord's Test, which India lost by 22 runs despite a fight-back by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the tail-enders.

"When things got spicy on the third evening, I felt that brought the best out of England for the remainder of the game. Shubman Gill did not look as technically tight or calm as usual when he came out to bat on the fourth evening, but his team fought so hard on Monday in a fabulous Test," said Vaughan in his column in 'The Telegraph'.

He said England's thrilling win, which gave them a 2-1 lead in the series, was built on the "winning mentality of the captain, which just coursed through the whole side."

 "England have never had a captain quite like Ben Stokes. One who just does not accept when he is beaten, one who does not accept his team are having a bad week, and can drag a game back his way through sheer skill and force of will," said the former Test stalwart.

Ben Stokes looked all charged up throughout the engrossing Test, taking five wickets and contributing 44 and 33 runs besides effecting Rishabh Pant's run out in the first innings, which probably was the turning point of the game.

"It was Stokes who stuck with Joe Root on the first evening to ensure they toughed out a score. It was Stokes who pulled off that brilliant run-out before lunch on day three, when India were taking control of the game.

"And it was Stokes who picked up key wickets in both innings, bowled that epic spell early on the last day, and then broke Jasprit Bumrah's resistance. He just knows how to win the biggest moments in Test matches," said Vaughan.

Vaughan said that though this England side had quite a distance to cover to be bracketed with the greats, Stokes' men were the "most watchable team I have ever seen, and that includes some of the great sides." "England are a long way from belonging in the same bracket of the greats, but you cannot take your eyes off them because they play such an extraordinary brand of cricket and can turn games around from anywhere.

"That is partly because they need to, because their shortcomings – and there are some significant shortcomings – get them in trouble. But you can never write them off, which is a very special skill to have." Vaughan felt that even though the hosts had taken the lead, the series was shaping up to be "unforgettable".

"Because the teams are evenly matched and there is rancour in the air. India are 2-1 down, but you'd have to say they've won more sessions than England. But Stokes and England’s spirit means they have won two matches they could have been well-beaten in." He said that Stokes looked menacing with the ball, and the delivery he bowled to KL Rahul, which trapped the veteran batter LBW, was "very special".

"Stokes' bowling was exceptional. To be hitting 90mph aged 34 after all his injuries, with the back spin he gets on the ball, the movement, the angle in, the relentless length. He looked horrible to face." "The return of Jofra Archer is the icing on the cake for England, someone who can bowl with genuinely nasty pace. He bowls balls people cannot play. Look at the one to Rishabh Pant on the final morning, that set England on the way to victory. (PTI)