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regular-article-logo Saturday, 12 July 2025

Joe Root stands tall on day of riveting contest; bowlers force Bazball on backfoot

For most of the 83 overs bowled on Day I of the third Test, India’s bowlers ensured they remained disciplined, with their tight lengths not letting England break free, as the hosts scored under 100 in each of the three sessions on Thursday

Our Bureau Published 11.07.25, 01:27 PM
Ollie Pope, who stitched a 109-run stand with Joe Root, reacts after losing his wicket on Thursday. (Getty Images)

Ollie Pope, who stitched a 109-run stand with Joe Root, reacts after losing his wicket on Thursday. (Getty Images)

Jasprit Bumrah struck just once in the 18 overs he bowled on his return to the XI after being rested for the Edgbaston Test. Yet, India didn’t quite allow England to run away with the game on the opening day at Lord’s.

For most of the 83 overs bowled on Day I of the third Test, India’s bowlers ensured they remained disciplined, with their tight lengths not letting England break free, as the hosts scored under 100 in each of the three sessions on Thursday.

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However, Joe Root (99 batting), just one short of his 37th Test century, ensured England ended the day on a better note after losing Ollie Pope and Harry Brook quickly early in the day’s final session. Together, Root and captain Ben Stokes have put on 79 so far in their fifth-wicket stand, soothing English nerves and taking their first innings total to 251/4 at stumps.

England would obviously like this partnership to be 100-plus at least, even though Stokes apparently has sustained an adductor injury and may not bowl in this Test. India wouldn’t mind that at all, but the Bumrahs and Akash Deeps need to make use of the second new ball — barely three overs old — to deny England from posting too
big a total.

A few of the balls from the quicks have kept quite low on the first day itself, which suggests batting may not get easier, especially during the second innings.

The Lord’s pitch, at least when compared to those of Leeds and Birmingham, had a little more purchase for the bowlers in the form of movement for the pacers, especially early on. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett played and missed quite a few times after England won the toss again but opted to bat first this time.

A gamble from captain Shubman Gill to bring on medium-pacer all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy worked wonders for India. Reddy struck twice in his very first over, removing both Duckett and Crawley to reduce England to 44/2 from 43/0. Duckett played a poor shot down the leg side, but Reddy used the Lord’s slope well to swing one away and get Crawley to nick it.

India pushed for further inroads, bowled as many as 28 consecutive dot balls early in the post-Lunch session to keep Root and Pope under pressure. But courtesy Root’s solidity, Pope too looked reasonably steady as they remained unscathed till the end of the second session.

However, Ravindra Jadeja gave India the much-needed breakthrough off the first ball after Tea and broke the century-plus stand when Pope played a loose shot. A little later, an angling-in delivery from Bumrah cleaned up Brook, the top-ranked Test batter.

England suddenly found themselves at 172/4 after going into Tea at 153/2. However, with Root ensuring his concentration remained intact and focusing purely on copybook strokes, he kept the Indian bowlers at bay.

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