The Lord’s Test between India and England kicked off with a vintage feel, as England ground out runs on a tricky surface, ending Day 1 with 251 for 4.
A Return to Traditional Test Cricket
After the high-scoring thrillers of the first two matches, the pace at Lord’s slowed considerably. The day harked back to conventional Test cricket, with England captain opting to bat first after winning the toss. This deliberate pace brought a classic, old-school look to the scoreboard.
Root’s Patient Masterclass
England’s top scorer was Joe Root, who played an innings of immense patience and pragmatism. He crafted a diligent 99 from 191 balls, wisely avoiding India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for much of his knock. Root’s disciplined approach was key on a challenging pitch.
Openers Struggle on a Demanding Pitch
This wasn’t a day for England’s usual aggressive “Bazball” openers. Ben Duckett (23 from 40 balls) and Zak Crawley (18 from 43) found scoring incredibly tough. The Lord’s pitch offered bounce but lacked pace, making stroke play difficult and negating their usual free-flowing style.
Indian all-rounder Nitish Reddy eventually broke through, dismissing both openers in quick succession. His clever bowling, including a peach of a delivery to Crawley, capitalized on the pressure built by India’s top pacers.
The Tricky Lord’s Surface
The pitch at Lord’s proved to be a complex surface for batsmen. Unlike the flat decks seen earlier in the series, this track didn’t allow for easy stroke-making. England’s run-rate of 2.8 was their slowest in the “Bazball” era, highlighting the difficulty in scoring freely.
Pundits noted that the pitch might quicken slightly on Day 2 before slowing down again on Day 3. For any team, a first-innings score of around 400 would be considered strong on this surface.
Spinners Find Turn and Bounce
Adding to the batting challenge, Lord’s offered unexpected assistance to spinners on Day 1 itself. Ravindra Jadeja extracted significant turn and bounce, troubling batsmen like Ollie Pope. His consistent length and clever variations led to Pope’s dismissal after tea, caught behind trying to drive through the off-side.
India’s Day of Mixed Fortunes
India’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj went wicketless in the first two sessions despite disciplined bowling. They created chances, particularly against the openers, but couldn’t convert early on.
However, Nitish Reddy’s double strike and Jadeja’s crucial wicket brought India back into the game. With Rishabh Pant’s injury adding uncertainty to their batting line-up, India will be keen to strike early on Day 2 and make the most of the challenging conditions.
- England finished Day 1 at 251/4, showcasing a more traditional Test match approach.
- Joe Root top-scored with a patient 99, anchoring England’s innings.
- The Lord’s pitch proved tricky, slowing down scoring and negating England’s aggressive “Bazball” style.
- Indian bowlers found success through pressure, with Nitish Reddy picking up two crucial wickets.
- Spinners, notably Ravindra Jadeja, also found surprising turn and bounce on Day 1.
All eyes will now be on Day 2 as both teams look to gain a crucial advantage on this intriguing Lord’s pitch.
