India would have fancied their chances of posting a mammoth total on the board after being 276/3 when day two of the Lord’s Test began. KL Rahul was batting with a hundred under his belt while Ajinkya Rahane was partnering him in the middle. But England came out with plans and didn’t allow the Indian batsmen to run away with the game.
It took only two balls for England to remove the centurion Rahul for 129. It didn’t even move ahead when James Anderson dismissed Rahane as well. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja looked to put Indian innings on track before the former fell trying to play a cut shot. Pant scored 37 runs in 58 balls where he hit five fours. Mohammed Shami arrived and went back without troubling the scorers.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant takes a phenomenal catch to send back Dom Sibley
Jadeja, though, hung his bat and added 26 runs with Ishant Sharma. But James Anderson was too hot to handle for the Indian tailenders, who were at his mercy. He bagged another five-wicket haul at Lord’s and bundled India out for 364. Jadeja got out after scoring 40 while trying to up the ante.
In response, England openers looked more assured while batting than the first two attempts they had in Nottingham. Dom Sibley and Rory Burns looked out the overs before the tea break and didn’t allow Indian bowlers to make early inroads again.
However, Mohammed Siraj came out after tea to give India their first breakthrough in Sibley. He removed England’s new number three Haseeb Hameed for a golden duck in his comeback. All of the sudden, England lost two wickets and the ghosts of Nottingham started rushing back.
However, Burns looked more confident at Lord’s while batting and stitched a crucial partnership with his skipper Joe Root. When England were looking set to go to stumps with two set batsmen at the crease, Mohammed Shami produced his magic to remove Burns for 49.
Also Read: Virat Kohli wastes two reviews at Lord’s, Wasim Jaffer takes a dig
Jonny Bairstow ensured there were no further damage done by Indian pacers as England ended the day at 119/3. Bairstow is batting on 6 while Root is looking threatening with 48 runs.
See how Twitter reacted to this game;
Most runs against India in Test cricket:
2555 Ponting at an average of 54.36
2431 A Cook average of 47.66
2344 C Lloyd average of 58.60
2228 J Miandad at an average of 67.51
2171 S Chanderpaul average of 63.85
2049 M Clarke average of 53.92
2010 J Root average of 57.42#Cricket— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) August 13, 2021
What drama!! What a start for Siraj and India! #INDvENG
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) August 13, 2021
Just that kind of a day…#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/g5ZaWE26rz
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) August 13, 2021
Someone sent me and @BumbleCricket these cute caps and we're making optimum use of it 😉#ThankYou ♥️#BehindTheScenes #BTS #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/UDDmUTlZDr
— DK (@DineshKarthik) August 13, 2021
A 31st Test five-for for James Anderson. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/TxexTJI18S
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) August 13, 2021
I always go missing when the England captain would look for me to do nightwatchman duties #ENGvsIND
— Monty Panesar (@zkp_scroll) August 13, 2021
James Anderson vs India at Lord's
2007: 5/42 & 2/83
2011: 2/87 & 5/65
2014: 4/60 & 1/77
2018: 5/20 & 4/23
2021: 5/62#ENGvIND— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) August 13, 2021
