India Vs England Highlights, 3rd Test Day 1: Nitish Reddy Shines, But Root's Unbeaten 99 Help ENG Reach 251/4

The India vs England Test series will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website. The television broadcast will take place on the Sony Sports Network channels – Sony Sports Ten 1 & Sony Sports Ten 5 TV (English), Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi), and Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu).

The match will start at 3:30 PM IST at the Lords Cricket Ground in Westminster London.

It’s a bright and hot day here in Westminster with clear skies and no cloud cover in sight. The forecast suggests no chance of rain throughout the day, though temperatures are expected to rise in the afternoon--almost perfect conditions for uninterrupted play.

Two of the most threatening pace bowlers in the world will be up against each other. While Bumrah will have the advantage of form, Archer will have to quickly shed his rustiness to make an impact. Archer will have the home advantage though. The bowler that wins this contest, will push his team far ahead in the game. The bowler who is not able to make a big impact will pull his team behind. A great match-up remains in store. Read more key battles to watch out for.

Shubman Gill is rewriting history with the bat in this series. With 585 runs at an average of 146.25, the young Indian skipper is now eyeing Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 774 runs in a Test series for India. He also has Don Bradman’s all-time record of 974 runs in a series in sight. Just 390 runs away, Gill has six potential innings to chase it down. As captain, he’s also closing in on Gavaskar and Bradman’s leadership run tallies in a single series. Read More....

The Lord’s pitch has a light grass covering and looks set to favour fast bowlers. With Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah back, expect pace to dominate. Teams haven’t found it easy to chase here, and big first innings scores are rare. Conditions could shape the outcome of this crucial Test.

It has taken India 35 long years to clear an old debt against England, but it couldn’t have come at a better time and in a more emphatic manner. In only his second Test match as captain, young Shubman Gill theatrically bowed deeper and deeper each time to the Edgbaston crowd, as he celebrated the passage of significant personal batting milestones. It started in the first innings with a fighting hundred that went on to become a double hundred and subsequently an epic 250-plus score. Read our full analysis on India vs England 2nd Test.

Jofra Archer returns to Test cricket after four years, replacing Josh Tongue in England’s XI for the third Test at Lord’s. The speedster, last seen in red-ball action in 2021, adds firepower to England’s attack as they look to bounce back against India with the series tied 1-1.

⁠⁠Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer Shoaib Bashir

England won the toss and elected to bowl first. England have already annouced their playing xi as for India, Jasprit Bumrah comes in for Prasidh Krishna.

India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

A striking new portrait of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was unveiled at the MCC Museum at Lord’s ahead of the England v India Test. Created by renowned artist Stuart Pearson Wright, the larger-than-life head-and-shoulders portrait marks a departure from his previous full-length works. It is the fifth Indian player’s portrait in MCC’s collection, four of which—including this one—have been painted by Wright. The portrait will later be moved to the Pavilion, honouring Tendulkar’s iconic legacy at the Home of Cricket.

Returning Jasprit Bumrah will have the new dukes ball with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley procceding with the bat.

There was some talk that Jasprit Bumrah might not take the new ball, given how well Deep and Siraj bowled at Edgbaston. But of course, he did—he’s the best in the world, and it’s his job to set the tone. And he did just that, trapped Ben Duckett with a lovely outswinger. Duckett edged it just short of a diving Rishabh Pant—so close. On a faster pitch, that would’ve carried easily.

“It’s nibbling,” says Nasser Hussain on Sky. “It is nibbling.” Bumrah goes around the wicket and nips one back to hit Duckett in the breadbasket. 

That’s hurt Duckett, who drops his bat and takes a minute to get his breath back. When play resumes, Bumrah is too full and Duckett times him sweetly through the covers for four.

Zak Crawley was living dangerously early on, constantly fidgeting and changing his approach at the crease. "He's tried everything in that over," noted Ravi Shastri on Sky Sports. "It looked as if the bowler was in the game every ball." Crawley looked especially unsettled against Akash Deep—shuffling his stance, moving in and out of the crease, and twice swinging wildly like a T20 opener rather than a Test batter. However, he grabbed a boundary with a thick outside edge flying over slips down to third man.

It’s been a steady, watchful start from England’s openers—quite the contrast to their usual Bazball approach. At 39 without loss after 13 overs, they’ve played with restraint, scoring at just 3 an over. Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep have kept things tight, testing both edges, but haven’t had luck on their side. Zak Crawley, after a nervy beginning, opened up with three fluent boundaries off Deep in one over, while Ben Duckett has looked solid on 19. Crawley is on 18, and India are still searching for that first breakthrough.

India bowled superbly all morning, building pressure without reward—until the breakthrough came from an unlikely delivery. Nitish Kumar Reddy, replacing Bumrah at the Nursery End, was flicked for four second ball, then followed it up with a harmless 81mph leg-side long-hop. Ben Duckett, looking to pull, got a faint edge through to the keeper. A gift of a wicket, and India gladly accepted as Duckett walked off disappointed.

Zak Crawley’s streaky stay ended on 18, with 16 of those runs coming from four cover drives—one even flying over the slips. After gifting India Duckett’s wicket, Nitish Kumar Reddy produced a genuine beauty to dismiss Crawley: a perfect length delivery that angled in and then nipped away late, catching the outside edge, safely pouched by Rishabh Pant. He nearly had Ollie Pope next ball too, as Shubman Gill dived full stretch in the gully but just couldn’t hold on to a sharp, low chance.

Since the start of 2002, only two Indian fast bowlers have taken two wickets in their very first over of a men's Test innings. The first was Irfan Pathan, who famously claimed a hat-trick against Pakistan in Karachi in 2006. The second is Nitish Kumar Reddy, who achieved the rare feat today at Lord’s, making an immediate impact by striking twice in a dream first over—marking a memorable start to his red-ball career.

Joe Root pulled out of his stance at the last moment, distracted by something in his eyeline, leaving Akash Deep visibly frustrated. In a moment of irritation, Deep underarmed the ball at the stumps and hit them, even as Root walked away towards square leg. Meanwhile, Root and Ollie Pope have begun to steady England after Nitish Kumar Reddy’s double-strike, and with Bumrah returning from the Nursery End, India are pushing hard for a third wicket before lunch.

Nitish Kumar Reddy gave India the perfect start with two wickets in his first over, but England recovered to reach lunch at 83 for 2 after opting to bat first at Lord’s. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley survived a testing first hour, with Duckett enduring several body blows from a sharp Jasprit Bumrah spell.

Reddy then removed both batters in quick succession—Duckett nicking a leg-side long-hop, and Crawley falling to a superb delivery that nipped away late. Ollie Pope had an early scare, dropped by Shubman Gill at gully off his first ball, but settled in alongside Joe Root.

The pair added an unbroken 39-run stand, steadying England after the double-strike and nullifying India’s push for a third wicket before lunch. Ben Stokes’ decision to bat first drew cheers from the crowd, and though the pitch had initially looked green, signs of early assistance were limited.

Welcome back to the afternoon session at Lord’s! The players are back on the field, with Joe Root resuming on 24 and Ollie Pope on 12. The pair will look to extend their steady partnership, having weathered the storm before lunch. India, meanwhile, will be aiming for an early breakthrough to regain control and build on Nitish Kumar Reddy’s impressive morning spell.

Jasprit Bumrah may have gone wicketless in his 10 overs so far on return, but his presence alone has kept the pressure on. The game feels tighter and more intense when he’s in action. England’s scoring rate reflected that—just 3.32 in the opening session, their lowest in 17 first-innings efforts since Brendon McCullum took charge in June 2022. Their previous lowest was 3.66 at Rawalpindi, where they were 110 for 5 before lunch.

Joe Root remains India’s biggest target, and with good reason—Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed him 10 times in Tests, second only to Pat Cummins’ 11. Aware of the threat, Root has been smart in his approach, quietly steering clear of Bumrah’s spell after lunch. In the pacer’s first three overs of the session, Root faced just one delivery—tapping it for a quick single—while Ollie Pope took on the bulk of the strike. It’s a subtle but telling tactic from England’s most prized batter.

Rishabh Pant put in a full-stretch dive to his left to stop a boundary, managing to save two valuable runs—but appeared to injure his fingers in the process. The physio was called out immediately, applying some strapping and the magic spray as Pant winced in pain. A few Indian players gathered around with concern, while the England batters took the opportunity for an unofficial drinks break.

There it is—Rishabh Pant has walked off the field, and Dhruv Jurel takes over the gloves for India. Pant had been in visible discomfort for a while after hurting his fingers, and the team management is clearly opting for caution. He could be heading for an X-ray or further assessment. It’s a worrying moment for India, and they’ll be hoping it’s nothing serious.

England brought up their 100 in 35.4 overs, marking their second-slowest century stand in the Stokes-McCullum era. The only slower effort came in Rajkot last year, when they took 37.2 overs to reach the mark in the fourth innings. It’s a sign of how disciplined India’s bowling has been, forcing England to curb their natural aggression.

The iconic Father Time weather-vane at Lord’s, gifted to MCC by architect Sir Herbert Baker in 1926, has become one of the ground’s most recognisable symbols. Positioned atop the Grand Stand he designed, the figure draws its meaning from Law 16(3) of the Laws of Cricket: "After the call of Time, the bails shall be removed from both wickets," symbolising the end of play.

In June 2015, the Marylebone Cricket Club restored the iconic Father Time weather-vane to its original position at Lord’s after it was damaged by strong winds in March. The copper figure had bent nearly 90 degrees and required careful repair and rebalancing to move more freely with the wind. It wasn’t the first time Father Time needed fixing—he was struck by lightning in 1992 and famously torn from his perch during World War II after getting caught in a barrage balloon’s cables.

At 2.82 runs per over, the partnership between Joe Root and Ollie Pope stands as England’s second-slowest 50-plus stand in the Stokes-McCullum era. Root was also part of the slowest, adding 113 in 43.3 overs with Ben Foakes in Ranchi last year.

But patience has paid off again. Root brought up his gritty half-century—his 67th in Tests—with a neat glance off his pads to the fine leg boundary. It came off 102 balls, not one of his most fluent innings, but a vital effort as he continues to find ways to score when it matters. Roooootttttttttt!

Joe Root has become the first batter in Test history to score 3,000 runs against India, underlining his dominance in this historic rivalry. In the process, he also extended his remarkable record at Lord’s, a venue where he has consistently delivered for England.

Joe Root and Ollie Pope led England to a strong position by tea on Day 1 at Lord’s, guiding the hosts to 153 for 2 with an unbroken 108-run stand for the third wicket. The afternoon session was unusually quiet by England’s recent standards, with just 70 runs added in 29 overs as India’s bowlers stuck to a disciplined, wide-off-stump plan.

Root reached two milestones—his 67th Test fifty and 3,000 career runs against India—joining an elite group of batters with over 100 half-centuries. Pope, meanwhile, looked solid as the pair blunted India’s attack under bright skies.

India’s only major blow came in the morning, when debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy removed both openers in his first over. But the ball softened quickly, and despite a mid-session replacement, India struggled to find movement.

Rishabh Pant’s injury added to India’s concerns. After taking a blow to his finger while diving for a leg-side take, he left the field mid-over and was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps.

First ball after tea, and Ravindra Jadeja delivers for India! Ollie Pope, who had fought hard for his 44 off 103 balls, threw it away with a loose slash outside off. The edge flew to Dhruv Jurel, standing in for the injured Rishabh Pant, who took a sharp catch behind the stumps. Pope stood in disbelief, hands on head, before slowly making the long walk back.

India vice-captain Rishabh Pant was struck on his left index finger while attempting a take down the leg side and is currently receiving treatment under the supervision of the medical team. In his absence, Dhruv Jurel has taken over wicketkeeping duties on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test, says BCCI

Jasprit Bumrah finally breaks his wicket drought—and does it in style. After a long spell without success, he produced a trademark nip-backer to beat Harry Brook’s inside edge and crash into the top of off stump. The world’s No. 1 Test bowler got the better of the No. 1 Test batter, as India clawed back with the old ball. In walked Ben Stokes, returning to the crease at the venue of his last Test century.

With both Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill off the field, KL Rahul has taken over the captaincy duties for India. The stand-in skipper now oversees a testing phase as Joe Root continues to accumulate runs alongside Ben Stokes, steadily building England’s innin at Lord’s.

Ben Stokes’ struggles against spin continued as he was trapped lbw by Washington Sundar on the stroke of lunch on the final day at Edgbaston. Since the start of 2024, the England captain has averaged just 18 against spin, and his discomfort was evident again as he played and missed throughout a probing maiden over from Sundar, who returned for his second spell just before the break.

India took a punt with a review against Ben Stokes after a half-hearted lbw appeal, and it came tantalisingly close. Nitish Kumar Reddy was interested, and after some discussion with Dhruv Jurel and Jasprit Bumrah, stand-in captain Shubman Gill signalled for the DRS.

Replays showed the ball pitched outside off and jagged back in sharply, hitting Stokes on the front pad as he shuffled across. Ball-tracking revealed it was just clipping leg stump, but with umpire's call in play, Stokes survived and India retained the review. A close call, and well worth the gamble.

Another stoppage in play as Ben Stokes appears to be in some discomfort. He called for the physio after stretching out his right leg, and was soon lying on the ground as the medical staff rushed in to check on his right hamstring. A couple of England's reserve players brought out drinks and a towel, while Stokes received some treatment. The England captain is back on his feet now, but looks a touch ginger.

A loud appeal for caught behind had the Indians briefly excited, especially Dhruv Jurel, who was convinced he heard something as the ball zipped past Joe Root’s bat. KL Rahul, however, wasn’t convinced at slip and kept saying “no, no,” urging caution. Shubman Gill chose not to review after a quick chat. UltraEdge later confirmed the right call—there was no spike as the ball passed the bat. A sharp delivery with extra bounce and turn, and an excellent take from Jurel behind the stumps.

Yet another bizarre interruption at Lord’s—this time due to a swarm of flies invading the field! The players were visibly distracted, with Ben Stokes particularly irritated, swatting them away and having an animated conversation with the umpires. The umpires paused play briefly as the players tried to regain focus amidst the buzzing chaos.

England dug deep at Lord’s on Day 1 of the third Test, reaching stumps at 251 for 4 after a slow but steady batting performance led by Joe Root’s unbeaten 99. In a dramatic shift from their usual Bazball style, England scored at just 3.02 runs per over—marking their slowest full-day scoring rate under the Stokes-McCullum era.

India struck early through debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who removed both openers—Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley—in the same over. Ravindra Jadeja then struck with the first ball after tea to dismiss Ollie Pope (44), and Jasprit Bumrah bowled a gem to send back Harry Brook for 11.

But Root, calm and composed, anchored the innings and shared an unbroken 79-run stand with captain Ben Stokes (39*), who battled through visible hamstring discomfort. Root also became the first batter to score 3000 Test runs against India.

India’s bowlers were disciplined throughout, but missed Rishabh Pant’s presence behind the stumps after he left the field with a finger injury. Dhruv Jurel kept in his absence. With the second new ball just three overs old, India will hope for early inroads on Day 2.