Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar feels it will be very difficult for England to make a comeback in the series after the manner in which they lost at Lord’s. England dominated the Test for the most part but succumbed to pressure on the last day to go down by 151 runs. Gavaskar believes the Lord’s defeat would have dented the hosts psychologically, from which they will find it tough to recover.

England will require a “superhuman effort” to make a comeback in the ongoing five-match Test series against India, feels former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar. The legendary cricketer expects the Virat Kohli-led Team India to hold sway over England after their emphatic 151-run win over the hosts in the second Test at the Lord’s. the first Test at Trent Bridge was declared a draw after the fifth day’s play was washed off by rain.

“India has dealt a psychological blow to England and it will take a superhuman effort from the home team to come back in the series. Yes, cricket is a game of uncertainties and things can turn around quite dramatically but for that to happen it will take a miracle,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for The Telegraph India.

Heading into the last day, India had a lead of just over 150 runs with four wickets in hand. However, a ninth-wicket partnership of 89 between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami allowed India to set England a target of 272 in 60 overs. The English batting, however, crumbled to a disappointing 120 all out.

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Gavaskar further wrote in the column that England’s batting is completely dependent on their captain Joe Root and once he falls, the team finds it hard to compete. He added, “At the start of the fifth day’s play, the general thinking was that England would win the game. But, on a last-day pitch, even 180 would have been tough as seen by the team being dismissed for 120 and losing by a big margin. Their batting depends so much on Root that if he doesn’t hold the innings together, then the innings comes apart at the seams.”

England has to spell a magic to defeat India in this series.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph India, Gavaskar opined, “India has dealt a psychological blow to England and it will take a superhuman effort from the home team to come back in the series. Yes, cricket is a game of uncertainties and things can turn around quite dramatically but for that to happen it will take a miracle.”

The former India opener admitted that things could have been different for England had Ben Stokes been available. Gavaskar said, “If I were Joe Root, I would be on the hooter to Ben Stokes and implore him to come back and play for he is the kind of impact player who can turn it around for England. Sadly someone who was born to play the game is unable to do so and that’s not just England’s misfortune but that of the cricketing world too, for players like Stokes are once-in-a-generation cricketers.”

Gavaskar further said England is relying heavily on skipper and premier batsman Joe Root in the five-match series. Topping the batting chart in the series, Root has amassed 386 runs in the first two games against India.

“At the start of the fifth day’s play, the general thinking was that England would win the game. But, on a last-day pitch, even 180 would have been tough as seen by the team being dismissed for 120 and losing by a big margin. Their batting depends so much on Root that if he doesn’t hold the innings together, then the innings comes apart at the seams,” Gavaskar added.

Ahead of the Test series against India, Stokes pulled out citing mental health issues Meanwhile, India began their practice for the third Test today. The match will be played at Headingley from August 25.