IND vs ENG 3rd Test Day 1: Root Leads England’s Charge with Unbeaten 99 at Lord’s Test Against India
Joe Root played a commanding innings to take England to a strong position on Day 1 of the third Test against India at Lord’s, guiding the hosts to 251 for 4 at stumps. Root, who remained unbeaten on 99, anchored England’s innings with crucial partnerships alongside Ollie Pope and later with captain Ben Stokes.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, England had a cautious start on a pitch that offered some early movement. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett managed to see off the first hour without any damage despite probing spells from Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. However, it was debutant all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy who broke through, dismissing both openers shortly after the drinks break. Duckett was caught behind for 23, and Crawley followed soon after for 18, both falling to deliveries that found the edge and were safely collected by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. England were suddenly reduced to 44 for 2.
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Root and Pope then stepped up to steady the innings, guiding England to 83 for 2 by Lunch. Their partnership gained momentum in the second session, as they added 109 runs for the third wicket. Root brought up his half-century off 102 balls, showcasing his trademark calm and elegance with seven boundaries. Pope supported well with a composed 44 before falling on the first ball of the final session, caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja.
Harry Brook, the newly ranked number one Test batter, started confidently with a few boundaries but couldn’t convert, as Bumrah knocked back his stumps for 11, pushing England to 172 for 4. Root then joined forces with Ben Stokes, and the pair played risk-free, traditional Test cricket to build a stable partnership. They brought up their 50-run stand in 100 balls and ensured England ended the day without further loss.
Stokes was unbeaten on 39 at the close of play, while Root remained just one run shy of his century. Together, they added 79 runs for the fifth wicket, giving England a strong finish after early setbacks.
During the second session, India suffered a minor setback as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant injured his finger, prompting Dhruv Jurel to take over the gloves for the rest of the day. Despite moments of pressure created by Indian bowlers, England batted with discipline and patience, particularly in the final session where they avoided the high-risk aggression typically associated with their ‘Bazball’ approach.
Brief scores: England 251/4 in 90 overs (Joe Root 99*, Ollie Pope 44, Ben Stokes 39*; Nitish Kumar Reddy 2/46, Ravindra Jadeja 1/54, Jasprit Bumrah 1/50) vs India.
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