Masterful Root Leads England Grind Against India

Third Rothesay Test, Lord's (day 1 of five)

England 251-4: Root 99*, Pope 44, Stokes 39*; Reddy 2-46

India: Yet to bat

England won nan toss

Scorecard

Joe Root's masterful unbeaten 99 held England together connected an attritional first time of nan 3rd Test against India astatine Lord's.

In turgid conditions, Root showed ultimate grit and determination to return nan location broadside to 251-4.

On a slow, barren transportation that looks group to move and turn uneven arsenic nan lucifer progresses, England were forced to curb their attacking instincts successful a crawl of hardly 3 runs an over.

In nan utmost power of London, nan location crowd shouted erstwhile Ben Stokes won nan flip and yet chose to bat first. What followed was a conflict to people runs because of nan aboveground and corporate relentlessness of India's bowling.

Twice England recovered themselves up against it: first erstwhile Nitish Kumar Reddy removed some openers successful nan aforesaid complete to time off nan hosts 44-2, past erstwhile Ollie Pope and Harry Brook fell aft beverage successful a descent to 172-4.

But nan peerless Root added 109 pinch Pope, who took 104 balls complete his 44, past an unbroken 79 pinch Stokes, nan skipper hinting astatine a return to shape pinch 39 not out.

India did small wrong, but skipper Shubman Gill's driblet of Pope disconnected his first shot could beryllium to beryllium vital.

The visitors are besides waiting connected nan fittingness of explosive batter Rishabh Pant, who injured his digit keeping wicket and spent astir of nan time disconnected nan field.

Stokes described nan transportation for past week's dense conclusion successful nan 2nd Test astatine Edgbaston arsenic "subcontinental". One wonders what he must deliberation of this Lord's surface.

This was nan 12th clip England person won nan flip successful a location Test since Stokes took complete arsenic skipper 3 years agone and only nan 2nd clip they person batted first. Given nan weather, it seemed nan logical decision, though India skipper Shubman wanted to field.

From nan measurement nan shot swung successful nan early portion of nan day, Gill whitethorn person had a point. However, pinch nan move already connected connection and nan deterioration that will surely travel from nan power that is forecast, a fourth-innings tally pursuit could beryllium difficult. It looks a large week for England spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Conditions tin only beryllium judged erstwhile some teams person batted. England's attack, including nan returning Jofra Archer, will person to lucifer nan subject shown by India.

Similarly, nan visitors will request to find personification to lucifer nan effort of Root, who had to conflict himself, nan guidance and transportation to make specified a captious contribution.

Its existent worth will beryllium revealed successful nan coming days.

There person been plentifulness of occasions successful nan Bazball era erstwhile England person been criticised for a deficiency of elasticity successful their desire to attack. Not connected this day. A run-rate of 3.02 is their slowest for a full successful excess of 200 since Stokes and Brendon McCullum took charge.

They were led by Root, nan man pinch nan astir Test runs and hundreds of years connected this ground. While this was acold from 1 of his astir fluent knocks, he drew connected each ounce of his skill, nous and experience.

England were wobbling erstwhile Root joined Pope, who had already been put down by Gill astatine gully from nan first shot he faced disconnected Reddy. Pope was typically skittish but it is to his in installments that he dug successful alongside Root, who almost ran his partner retired pinch a short azygous to mid-wicket erstwhile Pope had 19.

Both men pushed done nan covers, Root played his trademark dabs to 3rd man. From nan first shot aft tea, Pope's cross-batted thrust astatine Jadeja resulted successful an separator that was brilliantly held by substitute keeper Dhruv Jurel.

England were teetering again arsenic Stokes, short of runs, arrived aft Brook was bowled. The skipper collaborated Root successful nan trenches and moreover limped his measurement done what looked for illustration a groin injury.

Root began nan last complete of nan time connected 96 and drove Akash Deep for two. Anticipation grew. A push to heavy constituent brought a single, nan struggling Stokes not risking a second, meaning Root will slumber 1 tally distant from his 37th Test hundred. Few will person been harder fought.

India deserved much from nan time and, if they are to person nan worst of nan batting conditions later on, they will request Pant to recover.

He had already had curen connected his manus erstwhile he took a further rustle diving down nan limb broadside disconnected Bumrah. Pant near aft 34 overs and was not seen again, yet it tin beryllium based on he would not person held nan difficult separator disconnected Pope. Jurel is simply a good keeper.

With Bumrah backmost successful nan side, India were superb successful nan first hour, providing a stern introspection of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. Their guidelines of 43 was creditable, but Crawley's chaotic and changeless activity astir nan crease illustrated a deficiency of confidence.

Fourth seamer Reddy was an improbable root of occurrence successful his sensational first over. Duckett was caught down nan limb side, Pope should person sewage a aureate duck and past Crawley edged a beautiful away-swinger. The opener averages little than 25 since returning from a surgery digit astatine nan extremity of past year.

Maybe Gill should person utilized nan spinners earlier than nan 48th complete successful which Jadeja was introduced, though nan plaything for nan seamers was difficult to resist. After Jadeja removed Pope, Bumrah recovered activity down nan Lord's slope to vessel Brook done nan gate, continuing a inclination of nan Yorkshireman's dismissals to deliveries that travel backmost in.

As India took nan 2nd caller ball, location was a bizarre stoppage arsenic Stokes was distracted by a swarm of insects. An different obstacle connected a time afloat of challenges.