India vs England Highlights, 3rd Test Day 1: Joe Root’s Gritty 99 Steers England to 251/4 on Day 1 Against India at Lord’s
[By Our Correspondent]
London: England reached 251 for 4 in 83 overs by the close of play on the first day of the third Test against India at Lord’s. Joe Root, unbeaten on 99 off 191 balls with nine fours, stood one run shy of his 37th Test century, anchoring the innings. Captain Ben Stokes, batting on 39 off 102 balls, provided solid support as the pair frustrated India’s bowlers.
India’s attack, led by Nitish Reddy, who claimed two wickets, and supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja with one each, kept England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach in check, restricting their scoring rate to a modest 3.02 runs per over. The disciplined bowling made for a relatively subdued day for spectators.
The game faced a brief interruption after India took the new ball, as a pest infestation on the Lord’s outfield forced a temporary halt. England, having won the toss and elected to bat, struggled early as their top order faltered. However, Root’s resolute presence turned the tide, with the former captain becoming the first batter to score 3,000 Test runs against India, a significant milestone.
Reddy dismissed both openers, Ben Duckett (23) and Zak Crawley (18), with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant taking sharp catches. Jadeja, introduced late in the 46th over, struck in his second over, removing Ollie Pope for 44. Bumrah, meanwhile, produced a fiery 140 kmph delivery to clean bowl world No. 1 Test batter Harry Brook for just 11, marking a key breakthrough.
India made a tactical change, bringing in Bumrah for Prasidh Krishna, while England replaced Josh Tongue with Jofra Archer. The day wasn’t without injury concerns. Pant, nursing a finger injury sustained while keeping, left the field mid-session, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in as a substitute wicketkeeper. Jurel had previously kept wickets against England 18 months ago. Stokes, too, battled through an injury but continued batting after Brook’s dismissal.
Root’s masterclass and England’s resilience set the stage for an intriguing Day 2, with India’s bowlers aiming to break the crucial partnership.