England’s high-octane “Bazball” approach took a backseat at Lord’s as Joe Root played a masterful hand, finishing the day unbeaten on 99, guiding England to 251 for 4 against a determined Indian bowling attack. It marked England’s slowest full-day scoring rate (3.02 RPO) in the Bazball era—yet a productive one, largely thanks to Root’s resilience.
Despite playful on-field banter from the Indian side—Siraj teasing “Baz-Baz-Bazball!” and Gill welcoming the return of “boring Test cricket”—England opted for caution over chaos. And it worked.
Winning the toss, England captain Ben Stokes elected to bat, but India’s bowlers quickly asserted control on a slow, lifeless pitch. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who went wicketless in the previous Test, delivered early breakthroughs, removing both Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in the same over. India might rue a dropped chance by Gill off Ollie Pope, who went on to contribute 63 before edging Ravindra Jadeja to stand-in keeper Dhruv Jurel after tea.
Root showed his class with textbook batting, putting on:
- 109 runs with Pope for the third wicket
- 79 unbeaten runs with Stokes for the fifth, even as Stokes struggled visibly with a groin issue.
On a day where flair was sacrificed for survival, India’s disciplined bowling—especially from Bumrah, Reddy, and Jadeja—kept England from running away with the game. Bumrah’s spell after tea was a highlight, claiming Harry Brook’s off-stump with a beauty.
England’s approach defied expectations and calls for entertainment, but Root’s stability ensured scoreboard progress without risk. He now stands one run short of what could be his 37th Test century, and his 8th at Lord’s.
India, too, dealt with their own injury scare as Rishabh Pant left the field after taking a hit to his finger. His replacement, Jurel, proved competent behind the stumps and sharp with a critical catch.
With Root poised for a milestone and Stokes nursing an injury, Day 2 promises tension and tactical depth. And while Bazball might have taken a pause, Test cricket’s rich narrative certainly did not.
