Joe Root was the glue that held England’s innings together on a day of hard-fought, attritional cricket as the hosts reached 251 for 4 against India at stumps on Day One of the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Lord’s on Thursday.
Root, typically elegant but unusually restrained, finished the day unbeaten on 99 from 191 balls, an innings defined by patience and control. With just nine boundaries, it was far from a free-flowing knock but crucial in steering England through tricky phases, especially after early setbacks.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, England found themselves wobbling at 46 for 2 when Zak Crawley (18) and Ben Duckett (23) were dismissed in the space of four deliveries by Nitish Kumar Reddy. But a 109-run stand between Root and Ollie Pope (44) stabilised the innings before Pope fell to Ravindra Jadeja.
The pace of play was deliberately slow, dictated largely by India’s disciplined attack and strategic field settings. With the sun baking the historic ground, India’s bowlers succeeded in dragging England out of their comfort zone, effectively curbing the ‘Bazball’ style. England’s run rate hovered at just over three an over – a far cry from their recent high-octane efforts.
India went in with four pacers, including the returning Jasprit Bumrah, who replaced Prasidh Krishna. But despite favourable overhead conditions later in the day, they could only prise out four wickets in 83 overs, due in part to their persistence with the fifth and sixth stump line – a plan that sparked debate.
Reddy, however, backed the strategy and his role within it.
I just want to give my best to the team at that moment, whatever they require from me. If they want me to bowl on the sixth stump, I’ll do that. If it’s the fourth or fifth, I’ll stick to that. I don’t feel pressure – I just want to deliver what the team needs.
He credited Bumrah for leading the bowling group with a clear plan."It’s a simple plan for us. Bumrah leads the unit. He tells us to be patient and keep doing the good work.
Obviously, we were hoping for more wickets, but we’re happy with how we bowled today. Everyone who got the ball did their job brilliantly. We’ll stick to the same discipline tomorrow and look to get the six wickets quickly."
Root’s composure stood in contrast to some of the frenetic energy that often surrounds England’s top order. After his stand with Pope, he built another vital partnership – an unbroken 79 – with captain Ben Stokes, who battled through a visible niggle to reach 39 not out off 102 deliveries.
Harry Brook was the only other batter to fall, trapped in the middle of a quiet spell for 11, leaving Root and Stokes with the task of pushing the score closer to 400 on Friday.
With Root just one run away from what would be his 37th Test hundred – and his 11th against India – the morning session on Day Two promises to be a fascinating watch.
Brief Scores: England 251/4 in 83 overs (Joe Root 99, Ollie Pope 44, Ben Stokes 39*; Nitish Kumar Reddy 2-46, Ravindra Jadeja 1-26) vs India*
