Root’s Masterclass Leaves Him Stranded on 99* as England Grind on Day One
Joe Root fell agonisingly short of his 37th Test century, finishing unbeaten on 99 as England reached 251-4 on day one of the third Test at Lord’s. The Yorkshire maestro crafted a masterful innings across 182 balls, rescuing England from early trouble against a disciplined Indian bowling attack.
Bazball Takes a Back Seat
This wasn’t the typical Bazball fireworks show that Lord’s crowds have grown accustomed to. England scored at just 3.02 runs per over – their slowest full day’s play under the Stokes-McCullum regime. The sluggish pitch and India’s tight bowling forced a more traditional approach.
Baz-Baz-Bazball! Come on, I want to see it
Mohammed Siraj chirped at Root through the stump microphone. But England weren’t biting. They chose substance over style, grinding their way to a solid position rather than chasing quick runs.
Shubman Gill’s mid-innings quip to his teammates – “Welcome back to the boring Test cricket” – perfectly captured the day’s tempo. Yet for England, boring was beautiful. They needed patience after losing both openers in Nitish Kumar Reddy’s eventful first over.
Root Stands Tall Amid the Ruins
Root walked in at 15-2 and immediately set about rebuilding. His 109-run partnership with Ollie Pope (38) steadied the ship before adding an unbroken 79 with captain Ben Stokes (35*). The former England captain mixed watchful defence with occasional flourishes, reaching his half-century off 97 balls.
India’s bowlers maintained excellent discipline throughout. Jasprit Bumrah, returning to the side, bowled with typical accuracy and venom. He removed Harry Brook for 11 after tea, while Ravindra Jadeja’s first ball after the break found Pope’s edge.
The day wasn’t without drama. Rishabh Pant left the field after injuring his finger while keeping, with Dhruv Jurel taking over behind the stumps. England also had injury concerns as Stokes appeared to struggle with a groin issue late in the day.
As stumps approached, Root moved into the nervous nineties. The crowd held its breath with each delivery, hoping to witness history. But Bumrah’s final over proved too testing, leaving Root stranded one run short of what would have been his eighth Lord’s century.
For India, keeping England under 300 on a good batting surface represents a solid day’s work. Their seamers stuck to their plans admirably, never allowing England’s batters to dominate. Tomorrow morning’s first hour could prove crucial – Root will be desperate to reach three figures, while India will fancy their chances of running through the lower order.
The stage is perfectly set for another absorbing day at the home of cricket.
