England faced a challenging start to the third Test against India at Lord’s after electing to bat first, losing two key wickets by lunch against a potent Indian pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah and impressive debutant Nitish Reddy. By the lunch interval on day one, England had reached 83 for 2, with Ben Duckett contributing 23.
England’s decision to bat first at Lord’s, a relatively unusual move for them at home recently, came on a green-tinged surface that had undergone some trimming on the opening morning. This choice signaled an intent to deviate from their strategy in the earlier matches of the series, which India currently leads.
India’s fast bowling contingent, strengthened by Jasprit Bumrah’s return alongside new-ball partner Akash Deep, consistently tested the English openers. The pitch offered variable conditions, including some lateral movement and unpredictable uneven bounce, which occasionally aided the bowlers and led to several plays and misses as the ball deviated off the surface. Genuine edges frequently fell short of the wicket-keeper or the slip cordon throughout the first hour, indicating the difficulty the batsmen faced.
The pressure applied by the Indian quicks was reflected in the statistics. The false shot percentage during the initial 15 overs of the innings reached 38.4%, marking the highest figure for the first 15 overs of any Test innings played in England since 2006. This intense examination curbed England’s typically aggressive scoring rate, with boundaries proving much harder to come by compared to their usual “Bazball” approach.
While Bumrah and Akash Deep were perhaps unfortunate not to claim any wickets during the morning session, young debutant Nitish Reddy made an immediate impact. In just his first over in Test cricket, Reddy dismissed Ben Duckett, who gloved a pull shot down the leg side. Shortly after, Reddy produced a high-quality away-swinging delivery that induced an edge from Zak Crawley, caught behind by the wicket-keeper. Reddy could have secured a third wicket quickly, but Shubman Gill was unable to hold onto a difficult, low chance at gully.
Debutante Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates taking a key wicket for India against England at Lord's.
Following these early setbacks, England’s innings was steadied by a determined partnership between Ollie Pope and Joe Root. The pair successfully navigated the remainder of the morning session, adding 39 runs together by Lunch to prevent further damage and provide some resistance against the challenging bowling conditions presented by the Indian attack.
