England and India clashed at Lord’s on Thursday for the second Test of their five-match series, with the hosts winning the toss and electing to bat first under overcast skies. The first day’s play saw England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, put on a solid partnership of 120 runs before Duckett was dismissed for 58, caught by Ravichandran Ashwin off the bowling of Mohammed Shami.
Crawley continued his impressive form, reaching his half-century before being dismissed for 61, also caught by Ashwin, this time off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. At stumps, England had reached 167 for 3, with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at the crease. The match, a crucial encounter in the series, attracted a packed house at the historic Lord’s ground, with fans eager to witness the battle between two of the world’s top cricketing nations.
England Dominates Day One at Lord's
England made a commanding start to the second Test against India at Lord’s, dominating day one with both bat and ball. The home side won the toss and elected to bat first, posting an imposing total of 393 runs before declaring their innings closed. India’s openers faced a challenging start, with the hosts’ bowlers exploiting favourable conditions.
Joe Root, England’s captain, top-scored with a composed century, scoring 121 runs off 156 balls. His innings included 14 boundaries, providing a solid foundation for the team’s declaration. Root’s performance was praised by former England captain Michael Atherton, who described it as “a captain’s knock under pressure.”
India’s bowlers struggled to contain England’s aggressive batting lineup. The visitors took five wickets, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami picking up two each. However, their efforts were overshadowed by England’s relentless scoring rate.
In response, India’s openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill showed resilience but fell early to England’s pace attack. At stumps, India were 35 for 2, still trailing by 358 runs with eight wickets in hand. England’s bowlers, led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad, will look to build on their early success on day two.
India Fights Back After Early Wickets
England struck early against India on day one of the second Test at Lord’s, but the visitors fought back to reach 157-4 at lunch. The hosts took four quick wickets, but India’s middle order steadied the ship.
James Anderson removed Rohit Sharma for 10 in the fourth over, trapping the opener lbw. India’s hopes of a strong start were further dented when Ollie Robinson dismissed Shubman Gill for 12, caught behind by Jonny Bairstow.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli then rebuilt the innings. Pujara, on 45 not out, and Kohli, on 32 not out, shared a crucial 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Their resilience frustrated England’s bowlers, who struggled to break through after the early breakthroughs.
Joe Root, England’s captain, admitted that India’s recovery was better than expected. “We got off to a good start, but credit to India for fighting back,” Root said at the lunch interval. “Pujara and Kohli have batted well, and we need to keep working hard to get them out.”
The pitch at Lord’s offered some assistance to the seam bowlers, but India’s batsmen adapted well. The weather remained overcast, with temperatures around 15°C, providing ideal conditions for swing bowling. England’s bowlers will look to take advantage of these conditions in the post-lunch session.
Key Performances from Both Sides
England’s captain Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat first on a bright morning at Lord’s. The decision came as no surprise, with Root stating, “We want to get as many runs on the board as possible.”
India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah made an immediate impact, removing England’s openers Dom Sibley and Rory Burns within the first hour. Bumrah’s fiery spell of 4-1-10-2 left England reeling at 28-2.
Joe Root and Dawid Malan steadied the ship with a crucial partnership of 87 runs for the third wicket. Root, in particular, looked comfortable, reaching his half-century before lunch.
India’s spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel troubled the England batsmen in the post-lunch session. Ashwin’s clever bowling earned him the wicket of Malan, caught behind for 40.
Root continued his fine form, bringing up his century just before tea, much to the delight of the home crowd. His innings of 102 came from 156 balls, including 12 fours.
England’s lower order contributed valuable runs, with Jos Buttler and Ollie Pope adding quickfire 20s. Buttler’s aggressive approach helped England reach a competitive total of 364 all out.
India’s openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill began their innings cautiously against England’s pace attack. Both batsmen survived the new ball, with Gill looking particularly assured against the moving ball.
England’s star bowler James Anderson struck early, removing Gill for 12 with a beautiful outswinger. Anderson’s early breakthrough gave England the upper hand in the Indian innings.
At stumps on day one, India finished on 35-1, with Rohit Sharma not out on 12 and Cheteshwar Pujara yet to score. The stage is set for an intriguing second day at Lord’s.
Weather and Pitch Conditions Play Role
England and India began their second Test match at Lord’s with weather and pitch conditions playing significant roles in the early proceedings. Overcast skies greeted the players, with temperatures hovering around 15°C, offering ideal conditions for swing bowling.
The Lord’s pitch, known for its assistance to seam bowlers early on, lived up to its reputation. England’s captain, Joe Root, won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that drew mixed reactions from pundits. However, the pitch’s initial behaviour suggested that the decision might have been a tactical one, aiming to capitalise on the early movement.
India’s fast bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, made full use of the conditions. Bumrah found early swing, dismissing England’s opener, Rory Burns, for a duck in the fourth over. The pitch offered variable bounce as well, with the ball jagging sharply off the surface, making life difficult for the England batsmen.
The overcast conditions persisted throughout the morning session, with the cloud cover refusing to lift. This made batting challenging, as the lack of sunlight reduced the ball’s visibility and made it harder for batsmen to pick the seam. England’s batsmen struggled to settle, with the ball moving both ways off the pitch.
Despite the challenging conditions, England’s number three, Joe Denly, showed resilience. Denly weathered the storm, scoring a patient 38 runs before being dismissed by a delivery that moved sharply off the pitch. His innings provided some stability to England’s innings amidst the turbulent start.
Series Stakes Rise After Day One Drama
England and India’s second Test clash at Lord’s began with a dramatic collapse, leaving the series poised on a knife-edge. India, winning the toss and electing to bat, were dismissed for just 170 runs in 56.3 overs. England’s bowlers exploited helpful conditions, with Stuart Broad (3-46) and James Anderson (3-36) sharing six wickets between them.
Joe Root, England’s captain, won an early toss and immediately inserted India. The decision paid dividends as the hosts’ bowlers made early inroads. India’s top order crumbled, with only Cheteshwar Pujara (56) and Rishabh Pant (41) offering resistance.
England’s reply got off to a shaky start, losing openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed cheaply. At stumps on day one, they closed on 67-2, still trailing by 103 runs with eight wickets in hand. Joe Denly (29) and Joe Root (21) will resume batting on day two.
The series is finely balanced at 1-1, with both teams eager to gain the upper hand. India’s bowlers will look to build on their day one performance, while England will aim to consolidate their position. The stage is set for another thrilling encounter at the Home of Cricket.
The second Test between England and India at Lord’s ended day one with the hosts on a strong footing. England’s bowlers made early inroads, reducing India to 140-5 at one stage before a fighting half-century from Rishabh Pant steadied the innings. The visitors reached stumps at 266-7, with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami still at the crease. England’s top order will look to capitalize on a good start when they bat next. The match continues to hold significant implications for the World Test Championship standings, with both teams vying for crucial points.
