The highly-awaited third Test between England and India commenced at the legendary Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday, with the hosts finishing Day 1 on a hopeful note. It was all about one man — Joe Root, who was not out on 99 at stumps, taking England to 251/4 under trying conditions. His solid association with captain Ben Stokes, who is playing at 39*, saw England recover from early setbacks.

India, while taking wickets during the morning and evening sessions, will be marginally on the back foot going into Day 2. Even as the visitors enjoyed periods of control, Root's guile prevailed against a tricky bowling attack.

Root's Resilient Fightback as Early Jitters Are Busted - Betinexchange

England started Day 1 gingerly, and the Indian pace attack was not slow to pounce. Jasprit Bumrah started with an early wicket to send opener Ben Duckett back, while rookie pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy was impressive with economical bowling and picked up a vital wicket. The initial success gave India a brief upper hand.

But Root's coolness under pressure was crucial. He adapted readily to the swing and seam movement, employed soft hands to tackle the spinners, and constructed his innings with classical shots and defensive temperament. His 99 not out contained 11 boundaries, and it attested to his ability to absorb pressure and shift gears at will.

Root's alliance with Stokes, presently unbeaten on 94 runs, has provided solidity to England's innings. They rode out the second new ball with maturity and strategic acumen. Stokes also appeared confident and unflappable, repelling the Indian spinners astutely.

Indian Bowlers Strike but Miss the Finishing Touch

The Indian bowling unit showed intent all day. Jasprit Bumrah was relentless with his lengths, testing the batters off-stump. Ravindra Jadeja, getting into rhythm again, bowled a lengthy and probing spell in the second session and got rid of Ollie Pope. His accuracy on a Day 1 pitch was telling.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, on his Lord's debut, showed maturity well above his age. He maintained close lines and bowled a wicket-taking spell well enjoyed by retired cricket players. Mohammed Siraj supported decently in patches but could not contribute much.

India were left facing England at 154/4 at one stage, but not being able to overcome the Root-Stokes resistance in the final session may be costly. Re-strategizing by the bowlers would be required in a hurry, and all this with the second new ball already circulated.

Key Takeaways from Day 1

Joe Root's flawless 99 was the barricade England required. His comeback to form at Lord's can change the series dynamics.

Ben Stokes was ready to go, no sign at all of the knee injury that limited his overs in previous games.

The Indian bowling effort showed promise but lacked the sting on the second half of the day.

The Lord's wicket lived up to its reputation but offered enough to seamers, which means wickets in the morning of Day 2 might turn out to be game-changing.

England will seek to build a massive first-innings total with Root eyeing his 31st Test century. Having strength in their batting line-up and in form batsmen such as Bairstow and Foakes to get started, they'll seek over 400.

India would need early wickets in the morning. Bumrah and Jadeja's contribution becomes even more crucial on Day 2. Captain Rohit Sharma might need to rotate bowlers sensibly and even use the short-ball ploy more frequently. 

Final Word

Day 1 at Lord's was in perfect equilibrium. Root's gritty innings has kept England in good stead, but a couple of initial wickets on Day 2 could swing it in India's favour. Both sides showing grit, this Test is proving to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Don't miss the updates, analysis, and live cricket action on betinexchange during the India tour of England 2025