HUUUUUGE WICKET!! 🙌
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 12, 2021
Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/GW3VJ3wfDv
🏴 #ENGvIND 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/bTIsg7pukq
Rohit & KL Rahul have utilized their practice time in the UK impressively. Last time I saw Rahul play test cricket was in the Caribbean 2019. He looked uncertain & rushed then. Now, very rarely have I seen an Asian opener play as late with such assurance in English conditions👍
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) August 12, 2021
Close of play
90th over: India 276-3 (Rahul 127, Rahane 1) That’s the end of a superb day for India and particularly KL Rahul, who batted throughout to make a high-class unbeaten 127. Joe Root chose to bowl in gloomy conditions, a reasonable decision that will probably be unfairly ridiculed. But Rohit Sharma set the tone with an accomplished 83 and then his opening partner Rahul, who started very watchfully, square-drove England to distraction in the second half of the day. England beat the bat regularly- it felt like at least 30 times - and will feel they were unlucky. They will also know that, with a decent forecast for the rest of the Test, they are right up against it.
89th over: India 275-3 (Rahul 126, Rahane 1) Rahane thick-edges another bat-jarring delivery from Robinson short of Bairstow at third slip. Robinson offers one or two unsolicited observations on Rahane’s defensive technique, and adds a few more after shaping the next delivery past the outside edge. A fantastic over concludes with an unsucessful LBW shout when Rahane is beaten by a nipbacker. The line was fine but it would have bounced over middle stump. Robinson struggled a little earlier in the day but his spell with the second new ball has been majestic.
88th over: India 274-3 (Rahul 125, Rahane 1) Sam Curran replaces Anderson, who has bowled 20 overs and is 39 years old. Rahul waves a cut to the deep backward point for a single, and that’s your lot.
87th over: India 273-3 (Rahul 124, Rahane 1) A maiden from Robinson to Rahane.
RAHANE IS NOT OUT! It was missing leg stump, which means England have lost two of their three reviews. Deep down Root knew that wasn’t, but like all of us, he’s desperate to feel something, anything resembling joy.
Updated
ENGLAND REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST RAHANE Robinson has a big shout for LBW against Rahane turned down. Root goes for the review, a little reluctantly. Rahane did shuffle across his stumps but I think this is umpire’s call at best and therefore not out.
86th over: India 273-3 (Rahul 124, Rahane 1) Another terrific spot from Tim - in one and a bit Tests at Lord’s, Robinson has already dismissed Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli. I think we know who’ll be bowling to Steve Smith in the Lord’s Test of 2023.
Meanwhile, Rahul punches his umpteenth square drive for four, this one off Anderson. In this session Anderson has looked slightly powerless against Rahul.
Updated
85th over: India 267-3 (Rahul 118, Rahane 0) Even on a relatively poor day, Ollie Robinson has decent figures of 21-6-46-1.Even on a relatively poor day, Ollie Robinson has decent figures of 21-6-46-1. He’s quite a find.
Updated
WICKET! India 267-3 (Kohli c Root b Robinson 42)
Ollie Robinson is rewarded for some fine bowling with the second new ball. He beat Rahul twice earlier in the over and then found Kohli’s outside edge, with Root taking a smart catch at second slip. Kohli looked uncertain outside off stump throughout his innings, though that was still a pretty good ball. Kohli felt for it, with harder hands this time, and Root did the rest.
Updated
84th over: India 266-2 (Rahul 118, Kohli 42) Rahul skids back in his crease to drive Anderson past backward point for four more. His square driving, especially but not exclusively off the front foot, has been stunning.
Anderson almost picks up a wicket with his last delivery when Kohli edges this far short of Bairstow at third slip. In the end Kohli did well to soften his hands enough for the ball to drop short.
“Hi Rob,” says Fahd Mashood. “Not enough people have cottoned on to the Indian team’s unique player-motivation technique pioneered during the Australia series. Step 1: name the player on the bench. Step 2: fake a few injuries and suddenly bring in the ‘backup’ player. Backup player suddenly feels grateful for the unexpected opportunity while not feeling the pressure of being first choice and treats it almost as a free hit. Worked for the C- team players in Australia and for KL Rahul now. Someone should let me be the England coach.”
I think we all know where you’re going with this, and I’m with you every step of the way.
Updated
83rd over: India 260-2 (Rahul 113, Kohli 41) Although pretty much every statistical measure in existence suggests otherwise, I don’t think it was a mistake for England to bowl first today - it was close to a 50/50 decision in helpful conditions. India have batted superbly, the openers in particular, and England haven’t had much luck. They must have beaten the bat 20 or 30 times, which definitely didn’t happen on the first day at Brisbane in 2002.
47 times England, in a home Test, have won the toss and chosen to bowl. This is the first time in the first innings of those games that their opponents have reached 250 with only 2 wickets down.https://t.co/gCUMraTho4#ENGvIND
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) August 12, 2021
82nd over: India 260-2 (Rahul 113, Kohli 41) Jimmy Anderson shares the new ball, wioth Kohli on strike. The second ball is flicked round the corner for a single, and then Rahul helps a pull towards deep backward square for another. Not much sign of swing for Anderson yet.
“The toss,” says Simon McMahon. “It’s not quite Brisbane in 2002, but it’s close. Say it ain’t so, Joe…”
I think Kohli said he would have bowled as well. Mind you, Steve Waugh would probably have bowled at Brisbane in 2002, and won by an innings, but that doesn’t make Nasser’s decision the right one.
Updated
81st over: India 258-2 (Rahul 112, Kohli 40) Ollie Robinson takes the second new ball and immediately beats KL Rahul with an absolute jaffa. One of the most impressive things about Rahul’s innings is how little those play-and-misses have affected him. Two balls later he leans into another pristine square drive for four, prompting Kohli to punch first his bat and then Rahul’s gloves in admiration. This really has been a wonderful innings: elegant, serene and quietly ruthless.
80th over: India 252-2 (Rahul 106, Kohli 40) Rahul works Wood for a single to bring up a century stand with Kohli. Rahul has played like the senior partner - not only has he scored 57 runs to Kohli’s 39, but he shielded Kohli from Jimmy Anderson either side of tea.
And with the end of that Wood over, it’s time for the second new ball.
79th over: India 249-2 (Rahul 104, Kohli 39) Another uneventful over for Moeen. He has bowled with accuracy and optimism, but it’s a first-day pitch and there’s very little happening for him.
A CENTURY FOR KL RAHUL!
78th over: India 247-2 (Rahul 103, Kohli 38) And a marvellous century at that! He reaches three figures with a slap to the third-man boundary off Wood, before calmly removing his helmet and waving his bat to the crowd. He looks very composed, as he has all day. The mutability of sport is endlessly fascinating. Ten days ago, KL Rahul hadn’t played a Test match since 2019; now, after an unexpected recall, he is batting almost flawlessly.
Updated
77th over: India 241-2 (Rahul 98, Kohli 37) A lucky escape for Kohli, who inside-edges a grubber from Moeen onto the left pad of Buttler and away for four. I suppose technically that was a chance to Buttler; in reality, even Alan Knott would have struggled to get a glove on that, never mind catch it.
76th over: India 235-2 (Rahul 98, Kohli 31) Rahul times Wood delightfully through the covers for four. That takes him to within two runs of a sixth Test hundred, and his first since the tour of England three years ago. He’s only playing because of the injury to Shubman Gill, but he has batted marvellously.
75th over: India 229-2 (Rahul 93, Kohli 30)
74th over: India 227-2 (Rahul 91, Kohli 29) Tim may have finished his stint three hours ago but he’s still alert to a good stat - he writes in to point out that this is now Virat Kohli’s highest score in a Test at Lord’s.
Mark Wood comes back for a short burst before the second new ball. His fourth ball bursts past the outside edge of Kohli, who continues to look uncertain as to the exact location of his off stump.
73rd over: India 225-2 (Rahul 91, Kohli 28) Moeen continues after the drinks break. A lot goes on but nothing much happens; one from the over.
72nd over: India 224-2 (Rahul 90, Kohli 28) Robinson has a strangled appeal for LBW when Rahul inside-edges a big nipbacker onto the pad. It was outside the line as well. That aside, it was plumb. Robinson hasn’t had a great day, certainly not by the standards of his short international career, yet even when he is not at his best he has the capacity to bowl some serious jaffas.
England have now put Hameed at short leg for Robinson, and Kohli fences the last ball of the over not far away from him. Time for drinks.
Updated
71st over: India 223-2 (Rahul 89, Kohli 28) Kohli crashes Moeen down the ground for four, a shot of withering authority. England are looking a bit flat in the field, apparently waiting for the second new ball to become available. It’s still nine overs away.
Updated
70th over: India 217-2 (Rahul 88, Kohli 23) Kohli bat-pads Robinson through the vacant short leg area at catchable height. That position has become unfashionable, though if you’re ever going to have one it would be for a bowler like Robinson who jags the ball back into the right-hander.
69th over: India 214-2 (Rahul 87, Kohli 21) A double bowling change, with Moeen on for Sam Curran. India content themselves with three low-risk singles. Talking of threes, India have only ever won two Tests at Lord’s, in 1986 and 2014; this already feels like a great chance of a third.
Updated
68th over: India 211-2 (Rahul 86, Kohli 19) Ollie Robinson returns in place of Mark Wood. His second ball is a gentle, swinging half-volley that Kohli waves to the cover boundary. The upside to this increasingly chastening day for England is that the pitch looks pretty flat - if they knuckle down with the bat when their time comes, they could well take this game to a fourth day. Honk.
Updated
67th over: India 204-2 (Rahul 86, Kohli 14) We’re having a few technical problems I’m afraid, though you’re not missing much. Kohli is starting to look more solid, while Curran has just beaten Rahul outside off stump yet again.
66th over: India 204-2 (Rahul 84, Kohli 14) “What’s the justification for Root continuing as captain?” muses Chris Dale. “There’s a consistent trend from Vaughan onwards of the test captaincy negatively affecting a batter’s average, and Root is surely more valuable to England as an elite batter than as a good batter and not particularly good captain. The contrast with Morgan is quite strong - Morgan seems to select the right players, and the players Morgan selects seem to improve for being in the ODI side. I’m not sure by contrast you could point to many players who’ve improved in the test side, but you could point to plenty who’ve either regressed (Pope, S Curran) or just not been selected at all (Leach, Rashid etc).”
The main justification is that there’s nobody else. I do think England’s problems go way beyond Root’s limitations as captain. But if the Ashes go ahead, England will have a new captain this time next year. No idea who it will be, mind, as the only long-term certainties in this team are Root and Stokes.
65th over: India 203-2 (Rahul 83, Kohli 14) England appeal politely for caught behind when Rahul is beaten again by Sam Curran. Not out. It’s hard to make sense of Curran’s bowling today - for somebody he seems to be struggling, he has beaten the bat a helluva lot.
64th over: India 202-2 (Rahul 82, Kohli 14) Kohli clips Wood into the leg side for a couple to bring up the 200. It’s been hard work at times, as it usually is when you are invited to bat first, but they are in complete control of this match.
63rd over: India 196-2 (Rahul 81, Kohli 10) The sun has come out at Lord’s, so batting should be a bit easier for the rest of the day. The ball is still swinging, mind, and Buttler does well to save four byes when Curran curves one down the leg side. He gets it right later in the over, seaming one the other way to beat Rahul’s outside edge.
62nd over: India 194-2 (Rahul 79, Kohli 9) Rahul fences a short ball from Wood round the corner for a couple, then arches his back to avoid a sharp bumper.
61st over: India 191-2 (Rahul 76, Kohli 9) Kohli is beaten by consecutive deliveries from Curran, bowling around the wicket. It’s been a really nervous start from Kohli, who has played a number of very wide deliveries.
60th over: India 189-2 (Rahul 75, Kohli 8) Wood replaces Anderson, who bowled a terrific spell of 9-1-28-2 either side of tea. It’s a relatively low-key first over, though his pace is back above 90mph by the end of it.
59th over: India 187-2 (Rahul 74, Kohli 7) Sam Curran replaces Robinson. His first ball is a very wide half-volley that Kohli cracks through the covers for three, and his second is square-driven gloriously for four by Rahul. Curran is having a rough time with the ball in this series: his overall figures are 27-3-105-0, and it’s hard to escape the feeling that he’s mainly in the team for his batting at No8.
58th over: India 179-2 (Rahul 69, Kohli 4) Rahul mistimes a pull off Anderson, dragging the ball back onto his pads. He’s far more comfortable on the front foot, and he skims the next ball through point for four. Lovely timing. And thanks to Rahul, Anderson has bowled only two balls to Kohli today.
Twitter? It’s not all bad
Clouds low, lights on, evening session, fresh batter at the crease. This is the time to strike! Could get our rewards this session for containing India 🇮🇳 well in morning & afternoon. Could easily be a 250-6 day if we get it right & India are Very top heavy here with the tail
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 12, 2021
But there’s certainly no demons in this pitch right now- if india see off this period they could post 350+
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 12, 2021
Updated
57th over: India 175-2 (Rahul 60, Kohli 4) Rahul gloves a pull off Robinson down the leg side for four. It was in the air, but the diving Buttler couldn’t quite reach it. Kohli also goes on the pull without success: three balls later he chases a wider delivery that just misses the bottom edge. A slightly strange over concludes with Robinson ramming four byes down the leg side.
56th over: India 166-2 (Rahul 60, Kohli 4) Anderson finally gets to bowl at Kohli. He starts with a fullish outswinger that Kohli, on the walk, pushes confidently into the covers for a quick single.
Anderson is bowling beautifully, ball-on-a-string stuff, and later in the over he beats both Rahul and Kohli outside off stump. Kohli purses his lips, then looks out of the corner of his eye at Anderson. The mutual respect between these two is a delight.
Updated
55th over: India 164-2 (Rahul 59, Kohli 3) Kohli gets off the mark by walking across his stumps to flick Robinson for two. He is moving around a lot in his crease, more than usual, and looks a big LBW candidate just now. I’ll regret this observation when he goes past 250, eh.
A good over from Robinson ends with a big inswinger that hits Rahul on the pad. England went through the motions of an LBW appeal but deep down they knew he was outside the line.
“Do you remember the years of Good Jimmy/Bad Jimmy?” asks Ian Magilton.
I’m trying to forget them, mainly because I was chief gobsh1te for the anti-Anderson brigade. I’m reasonably ashamed to say that until the summer of 2010 I didn’t think he was good enough.
Updated
54th over: India 161-2 (Rahul 59, Kohli 0) Anderson resumes after tea, though KL Rahul continues to deny him a crack at Kohli. Rahul also gets his fifth boundary with a deliberate steer to third man, and is punished for his rudeness with a nipbacker that hits him in the box. Anderson turns straight on his heels, without a flicker of emotion; oh to have heard his internal monologue at the precise moment leather made contact with abdominal-protecting plastic.
53rd over: India 157-2 (Rahul 55, Kohli 0) Ollie Robinson starts the evening session with a trampolining leg-cutter that beats Kohli’s defensive push. If Kohli was on 60 not out he might have nicked that. He looks jittery at the moment, still on nought, and survives a huge appeal for caught behind off the last ball of the over. It was another fine delivery that moved away as Kohli pushed forward. There was a noise, which is why England were so excited, but replys showed it was bat on pad.
Teatime entertainment
🎸 GUITAR HEROES 🎸@MarkButcher72 performs a duet with the multi-talented @JemiRodrigues 🎵
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 12, 2021
The #NorthernSuperchargers batter has been well and truly on-song in #TheHundred 👌
💻 YouTube 👉 https://t.co/N05hSFBn4R
📺 SS Mix 👉 https://t.co/COJn3FTm6H pic.twitter.com/RBAa20CI1R
“Can I just wholeheartedly agree with Andy B for a minute?” says Nick Lewis. “Never put a team in. Ever. Ever. Ever. Win toss. Bat. Every single time. Think about bowling. Um and ah for a bit. Say, ‘d’you reckon, Jimmy, aye?’. Suck teeth. Bat. I can think of no other action in any sport that invites pressure so fully, so instantly, so calamitously.”
Tea
52nd over: India 157-2 (Rahul 55, Kohli 0) Anderson begins the last over before tea with KL Rahul on strike. An Indian single here might even be cheered by the home fans, as it would mean the start of the latest contest between Anderson and Kohli. But Rahul plays the part of teawatchman - and spoilsport - to perfection by defending the first five balls and driving the sixth through the covers for four. That’s a lovely shot, and a stylish way to end another very good session for India’s new, improved opening batsmen.
Updated
51st over: India 153-2 (Rahul 51, Kohli 0) Rahul steers Robinson for three to reach another expert half-century: 137 balls, with two fours and a six. His last 29 runs have come from 30 deliveries.
Virat Kohli, who was out first ball at Trent Bridge, defends his first ball and shoulders arms, with a flourish, to the second.
Balls faced by KL Rahul:
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 12, 2021
in 2018 England tour - 450
in 2021 England tour - 388#ENGvIND
Updated
50th over: India 150-2 (Rahul 48, Kohli 0) That was the last ball of the over. It was a triumph of sorts for Joe Root, who had just moved Bairstow in to third slip after Pujara edged for four in Anderson’s previous over.
“Pujara averaging ‘just’ 28 from 20 Tests!” says Gary Hindhaugh. “With stats like that he could play for England!”
Erm, what makes you think there would be a vacancy at No3?
Updated
WICKET! India 150-2 (Pujara c Bairstow b Anderson 9)
Jimmy Anderson. I don’t know what else to say. Jimmy Anderson. He’s got his second wicket, with Pujara chasing an outswinger and edging to Bairstow at third slip. Pujara’s rotten form continues, and here comes the India No4.
Updated
49th over: India 147-1 (Rahul 47, Pujara 7) Ollie Robinson replaces Mark Wood, who has unjust figures of 8-1-38-0. Robinson is slightly too wide at the start of his over, allowing Pujara to leave outside off stump, but his line is much better by the time Pujara defends the sixth delivery.
48th over: India 147-1 (Rahul 47, Pujara 7) Pujara edges Anderson just wide of the diving Burns in the slips and away for four. It was a loose, nervous stroke from Pujara, who pushed a long way away from his body. He looks painfully out of form, mainly because he is out of form. Since his career-defining performance in Australia in 2018-19, he averages just 28 from 20 Tests.
47th over: India 142-1 (Rahul 47, Pujara 2) Mark Wood is bowling in excess of 90mph, yet it almost feels like filler while we wait for another Anderson over. In such gloomy conditions, Anderson has the ability to pick up a cluster of wickets either side of tea.
46th over: India 140-1 (Rahul 46, Pujara 1) Pujara gets off the mark - and away from Anderson - with a thick edge into the off side. His reprieve lasts only one ball, with Rahul flicking confidently through midwicket for three runs. But Pujara survives the remainder of the over without alarm.
By the way, it’s been quite a gear-change from KL Rahul. At one stage he was 22 not out from 107 balls. Then he wafted Moeen for six, and his last 24 runs have come from only 18 balls.
Updated
PUJARA IS NOT OUT! It was another lovely nipbacker from Anderson - but it hit Pujara above the knee-roll and replays showed it was bouncing over the stumps. Michael Gough does it again.
ENGLAND REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST PUJARA! This looks close, though the umpire is Michael Gough and he usually makes approximately one mistake per summer.
Updated
45th over: India 136-1 (Rahul 43, Pujara 0) Rahul is turned round by Wood and gets a thick edge for a couple. He plays a much better shot later in the over, flashing a cut past backward point for four, and then edges a loose drive over the cordon for four. Ten from the over, to be filed under lies, damned lies and economy rates.
Updated
44th over: India 126-1 (Rahul 33, Pujara 0) That was a high-class innings from Rohit: 83 from 145 balls, with 11 fours and one six. He deserved a first Test century overseas, and he would have gotten it but for the sheer brilliance of Jimmy Anderson.
WICKET! India 126-1 (Rohit b Anderson 83)
Masterful stuff from Jimmy Anderson! Rohit Sharma, beaten outside off stump by the previous delivery, is bowled off the pad by a big nipbacker. That’s Anderson’s 622nd Test wicket, and another demonstration of his extraordinary ability to work a batsman over.
Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Updated
43rd over: India 126-0 (Rohit 83, Rahul 33) Mark Wood replaces Moeen Ali, who bowled promisingly but without any help from the pitch. The openers scamper four runs and then Rahul is beaten, trying to pull a wider short ball.
“Can you explain to me why in the name of God we won the toss and bowled?” says Andy B. “Only England of al the test nations ever do this like we think it’s actually a good idea.”
It was/is very gloomy, and Jimmy Anderson bowled India out for 107 in not dissimilar conditions three years ago. I thought it was a legitimate decision, even if it hasn’t worked out.
42nd over: India 122-0 (Rohit 82, Rahul 30) Jimmy Anderson returns to the attack, nursing expensive figures of 8-3-11-0. The lights are on, so in theory this should be the perfect time for Anderson to bowl. It would also be a fine time for Rohit and Rahul to break a record.
Anderson beats Rohit with a length outswinger, a lovely piece of bowling. The Rohit of a few years ago would surely have nicked that. As Dinesh Karthik says on Sky, this has been a masterclass in how to bat in English conditions.
This is the 47th time in a home Test that England have won the toss and put the visiting opposition in; Rohit/Rahul's stand is the 6th 100 first-innings opening stand in those games. Highest: 128, Slater & Taylor for Aus, Old Trafford 1993. https://t.co/J6jDgT0RCh
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) August 12, 2021
41st over: India 121-0 (Rohit 82, Rahul 29) Rahul lifts Moeen lazily over long-off for six. That’s the first boundary of his innings, from the 108th delivery, and I’m starting to seriously doubt whether this match will have a happy ending for England.
40th over: India 114-0 (Rohit 82, Rahul 22) Rohit survives a big LBW shout after being hit on the pad by a very full-length delivery from Curran. Michael Gough said not out, and England decided not to review. It was probably missing leg stump, umpire’s call at best.
Meanwhile, I’ve found a cracking one-sided opening partnership, though it wasn’t in a Test and it didn’t quite reach three figures. But apart from that... in an ODI in 1996, Sanath Jayasuriya added 70 for the first wicket with his fellow pinch-hitter Romesh Kaluwitharana, who was out for a duck.
Updated
39th over: India 113-0 (Rohit 82, Rahul 21) Rohit pats Moeen for a single to move to within 18 of a first Test century overseas. He is impressive proof that, even as they approach their mid-30s, openers can change their spots.
38th over: India 111-0 (Rohit 81, Rahul 20) Curran, who is bowling better in this spell, moves around the wicket and slips a beauty past Rahul’s outside edge.
“How does this pair compare to century opening partnerships in terms of the uneven distribution of runs?” asks Craig Fawcett.
I can’t answer that I’m afraid, at least not without 10 minutes on Statsguru, but it does bring to mind one of my favourite partnerships. In the course of an astounding unbeaten 200 on a vile turner at Colchester in 1981, Javed Miandad added 43 for the eighth wicket with Robin Hobbs – who was out first ball. And I’ll always be able to say I wasn’t there, because I was five years old and I barely knew my own name. But one of these days, Alice, when I can afford that bloody DeLorean, that’s where I’m going.
Updated
37th over: India 108-0 (Rohit 81, Rahul 18) Moeen continues to bother Rahul, who is beaten by one that skids straight on. Buttler fumbles it, though there wasn’t a chance of a catch or a stumping. The bad news for England is that Moeen is bowling on the first afternoon; the good news is he’s started well.
Updated
Thanks Tim, hello everyone. Let’s stat with a start: India have already passed the score they made when put in at Lord’s in 2018. Jimmy Anderson swung them out for 107 that day. So far, today has been payback for that, and maybe a little bit for the Lord’s Test of 1990 too.
36th over: India 108-0 (Rohit 81, Rahul 18) Curran draws a false shot from Rohit, another of those inside edges, but it sneaks away for two. That’s drinks, with India still lording it at Lord’s, and England rather needing Jimmy Anderson to come on and grab the game by the scruff. Time for me to hand over to Rob Smyth. Thanks for your company, correspondence and contrasting opinions on all those selection issues.
Updated
35th over: India 105-0 (Rohit 79, Rahul 17) A single to each batsman off Moeen’s fourth over. The commentators are discussing Root’s decision to bowl first. “Those dread words,” David Lloyd says. “‘We’ll have a bowl.'” Michael Holding suspects it was more a case of not wanting to bat – “not having faith in the top order”.
Updated
34th over: India 103-0 (Rohit 78, Rahul 16) Three more runs off Curran, who may have to give way to the man mentoring him from mid-on.
33rd over: India 100-0 (Rohit 75, Rahul 16) Rohit decides it’s time to hit Moeen over the top, and does so with the greatest of ease because England have a deep mid-on, not a long-on. He adds a two and a single, and that is the hundred partnership. These two have gone one better than in the first Test, when they added 97. And they’ve done it after being put in to bat. England haven’t bowled at all badly, but they haven’t bowled well enough against an opening pair who are serenely well organised.
“Rahul,” says Mark Hooper, “seems to be playing the innings England want Sibley to play?” True.
32nd over: India 93-0 (Rohit 68, Rahul 16) Curran is being coached by Anderson, who is standing at mid-on, and you can see it in his line, which shunts across to off stump or just outside. It’s a much better over, acclaimed with a little clap from Buttler, but Curran still can’t quite find his ability to make things happen.
31st over: India 92-0 (Rohit 67, Rahul 16) Moeen concedes his first run as Rohit pushes to deep mid-on. Then there’s a glimmer of a chance as Rahul sets off for a quick single to cover, only to be sent back by Rohit, but Buttler and Sibley converge on the ball and rather get in each other’s way. The fielder who did everything right was Hameed, who moved smoothly from short leg to the stumps when he saw Buttler taking off.
30th over: India 91-0 (Rohit 66, Rahul 16) It’s a double change as Wood, who bowled better than figures of 5-1-22-0 might suggest, gives way to Sam Curran. He’s on at the right end this time, running in with the members behind him, and there are thick clouds to help him swing it. But he’s too much on the pads, handing out singles and leg-byes.
29th over: India 86-0 (Rohit 64, Rahul 15) So here is Moeen, playing his first home Test for two years, fresh from the role of the master blaster in The Hundred. He’s in the groove right away, beating Rahul with a nice loopy arm ball, and again with a flatter one that’s too close to cut.
Updated
It's Mo time!
We’re about to see England’s first over of spin in this series.
28th over: India 86-0 (Rohit 64, Rahul 15) Wood draws an inside edge too as Rohit swaps his usual elegance for the old Harrow drive. Realising that this is beneath him, he then sees a 93mph short ball and pulls it well in front of square for four. Imperious.
27th over: India 78-0 (Rohit 56, Rahul 15) It’s still Robinson, bowling to Rahul and aiming at middle-and-off rather than middle-and-leg. That would be a maiden if it were not for a no-ball off the sixth delivery, called late as is the way now. Robinson, rather than sulking, uses the seventh to find the inside edge of Rahul’s bat.
26th over: India 77-0 (Rohit 56, Rahul 15) Wood beats Rohit with an amazing delivery, a short, fast, fiery leg-break. Then he bounces him again, and Rohit, though not in control, hooks for six! That’s how England got him out the other day. Fine margins.
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25th over: India 71-0 (Rohit 50, Rahul 15) Robinson is bowling straighter, which seems a good ploy against Rahul, less so against Rohit. He helps himself to a couple of comfy tucks into the leg side and reaches fifty off 83 balls. It’s been authoritative.
24th over: India 68-0 (Rohit 48, Rahul 14) Rohit is handling Wood well, pushing square for two, flicking off the hip for four, and best of all leaping to defuse a rip-snorter on off stump. “Mark Wood can generate some serious pace,” says Michael Holding, which is like being complimented on your writing by Marina Hyde.
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23rd over: India 61-0 (Rohit 41, Rahul 14) Robinson beats Rahul with a fabulous ball – angled in and jagging away.
Meanwhile a couple of tweets have come in about Sam Curran. “If Curran can’t look threatening with the ball in the bowling conditions provided at Trent Bridge and today,” wonders Gareth, “when exacty can he?”
“Sam Curran,” says Tom Wellman, “is a very good bits and pieces cricketer but first change in a Test match? Not on your nellie.” Well, he was good against India in 2018, but there’s something not right with his bowling at the moment. I was surprised they picked him today: with Broad ruled out, they could have run to one more non-batting seamer, and I would have loved to see Saqib Mahmood. He doesn’t look like a first change either – he looks like the real deal, ready to take the new ball.
22nd over: India 57-0 (Rohit 40, Rahul 11) Wood touches 94mph and bowls his first bouncer – the first of the day from anyone, if memory serves. Rahul fends it off, uncertainly, but there’s no short leg. Root’s aversion to having a man there is surprising. England missed a trick at Trent Bridge, not because catches went there, but because it allowed batsmen like Rishabh Pant to stand outside their crease. Root may be conscious that Wood can be expensive, but he’s started parsimoniously enough here.
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21st over: India 56-0 (Rohit 40, Rahul 10) A ball from Robinson, by contrast, bounces twice before reaching Buttler and goes for four byes. That’s a bathetic way to bring up another fine fifty partnership. These two added 97 last week and they’re at it again now. Rohit celebrates with four off the edge.
20th over: India 46-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 10) Wood’s first ball makes Rahul play and it’s 89mph. That’s impressive, after no cricket for six weeks. Second ball, he reaches 90mph, with good shape too. And soon he’s making the ball leap, with Jos Buttler taking it up above his shoulder. Pace, tick. Bounce, tick. Heart, tick. He just needs to threaten the stumps, especially to Rahul, whose strength is outside off.
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19th over: India 46-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 10) Ollie Robinson has two balls left of his over. One is a loosener outside off, ignored by Rohit. The other is on the spot, blocked by Rohit. That’s a maiden. And now HERE COMES WOOD!
England are in their huddle. It’s not clear who is doing the pep talk: maybe Mark Wood, to give him something to do.
The covers are off and Shane Warne is on the telly, living the international cricketer’s dream – getting paid to plug a company that combats baldness.
“So,” says Simon McMahon, “Kohli has lost eight tosses in a row in England? On the spin, as it were. I wonder what his system is? He probably calls heads or tails I reckon, but maybe he needs to have a rethink, possibly toss a coin beforehand to help him make his subsequent on-field call and see if his luck improves.”
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Sky is using the time well, by showing the work of the Ruth Strauss Foundation, which supports families as they face the loss of a love one. Heartbreaking stuff. People in the UK can send £20 by texting TWENTY to this number: 70600.
Lunch is going to be taken after all, but not till 1.10. Cricket, like God, moves in mysterious ways.
The covers are on and there are raindrops on the camera. The umpires, apparently, have not called for an early lunch, which is puzzling.
“Just wondered.” says Paul Sokhy, “why England want the ball changed so often. Third time today, very prolific at this. The umpire has checked and handed the ball back. Is it that Anderson is not getting the movement of the Sultan of Swing? Or is it a tic now?” You might very well think that.
Rain stops play! India 46-0
They’re off again. Rohit walks back to the pavilion with his bat under his shirt and gives Rahul a pat on the arm.
Joe Root had just had time to change the bowling again. He took off Curran after those chastening last two overs. It was clearly time for Mark Wood – but no, it was back to Robinson. He bowled four dots before the rain came.
18th over: India 46-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 10) A good over from Anderson, moving the ball both ways, to Rahul, whose only scoring shot is a streaky two, squirted past point off a leading edge.
“I have a ticket to Lord’s on Saturday,” says Steve Hudson, “and I can’t wait to see Jimmy, for what feels like the last time. He’s one of the best I’ve seen since the 70s. I can’t help thinking though that if there is any doubt over his fitness whatsoever, he shouldn’t be playing with the Ashes looming. He’s 39, injuries will come more often and they will take longer to heal properly. Still, here’s to Saturday.” I’m not sure they’d miss him in the Ashes, except at Adelaide. Phenomenal as he has been for the past few years, elderly seamers hardly ever do well in Australia.
17th over: India 44-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 8) England have got a deep square instead of a fine leg, perhaps because Rohit was caught hooking at Trent Bridge. But they haven’t bowled a bouncer yet, as far as I can remember, and not having a fine leg is a gift to a batsman with any finesse. Rohit duly cashes in with a two and a four. Of his 35 runs, 22 have come off Curran’s last two overs.
16th over: India 38-0 (Rohit 29, Rahul 8) Anderson, appalled to see 16 coming off one over, restores order with a maiden. He now has the very Jimmyish figures of 7-3-9-0, but England would swap some of that thrift for a bit more penetration.
“Agree with Crawley being dropped,” says Peter Salmon, “but if only both he and Sibley could have gone! Seems a little odd we’ve all just accepted an either/or argument. But anyway, I think the true horror may still be to come, when Sibley scores 68 off 290 balls and can’t be dropped. And does that every third Test he plays for eternity. For. Eternity.”
15th over: India 38-0 (Rohit 29, Rahul 8) Rohit eases Curran past point for the second four of the day. Just when you’re thinking, hmm. should Curran have given way to Saqib Mahmood, he produces a better ball and draws the edge, only to see Rohit keep it down. Next, he beats him outside off. Then Rohit strokes it through the covers again, taking a big step forward and meeting the ball on the up. And finally, as Curran adjusts his line, Rohit helps himself to a freebie on leg stump. After 14 overs for 22 runs, we’ve had 16 off one. And that’s drinks, with the first hour belonging to India’s openers.
14th over: India 22-0 (Rohit 13, Rahul 8) Rahul, facing Anderson, plays an off push for three. He has only faced 34 balls so far, to Rohit’s 50: hard to say who’s been the more circumspect, but it’s working for them just as it did last week.
A tweet from John Etheridge of The Sun. “Threat of losing more WTC points already seems to be helping the over-rate,” he notes. “13 overs in first 53 mins - much quicker than normal. About time, too.”
13th over: India 18-0 (Rohit 12, Rahul 5) A boundary! Curran gets that inswinger too full and Rohit flicks it to fine leg’s right. The first four of the morning comes off the 77th ball.
Here’s Tom van der Gucht. “I’d say, feeling somewhat surprised, that this looks like England’s most balanced Test side I’ve seen in ages. Blockers taking the shine off the ball, dashing middle order with potential to counter-attack, giving way to more explosive lower order and a bowling attack packed with variety combining spin, bounce, swing, left-arm and pace. It has the feel of an Ed Smith team, too... His benevolent spectre hangs over the team – like the ghost that helped Liono in Thundercats.”
12th over: India 14-0 (Rohit 8, Rahul 5) Anderson changes ends, looking for some joy from his inswinger, and nearly gets some as he raps Rohit on the pad in line with the off stump. HawkEye reckons the ball was about two inches too high to hit the leg bail.
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11th over: India 13-0 (Rohit 8, Rahul 5) Curran is getting some inswing now, up the slope, and he draws a thick inside edge from Rohit. A single to each batsman: this scorecard is the stuff of Dom Sibley’s dreams.
10th over: India 11-0 (Rohit 7, Rahul 4) Robinson continues and Root finally gives him a short leg, after flirting with a deep square in his previous over. The short leg is Haseeb Hameed. Welcome back!
Here’s Andrew Benton, quoting me back at myself. “‘Sibley’s retention,’” he says, “sounds like it should be an unmentionable digestive disease. Let’s hope his runs flow freely, surgical removal being the only sensible alternative if they don’t.”
9th over: India 8-0 (Rohit 5, Rahul 3) An early change as Anderson comes off and Sam Curran comes on. He didn’t take a wicket at Trent Bridge, where his batting was more assured than his bowling, but he beats Rohit with the one that doesn’t swing back in. That’s another maiden.
8th over: India 8-0 (Rohit 5, Rahul 3) The first nick of the morning! It’s another beauty from Robinson, curling away from Rahul, but he manages to keep it down just enough for it to drop short of Sibley at second slip. Sibley, let it be said, does well to cope with it on the half-volley, flicking it up to Jos Buttler. That’s another maiden to Robinson, whose figures are very Broad-like: 4-2-3-0.
7th over: India 8-0 (Rohit 5, Rahul 3) A single to Rahul off Anderson; five dots to Rohit, who has faced 26 balls already. In one of the swanky boxes, Sourav Ganguly talks to Geoffrey Boycott, or rather listens.
Charles Sheldrick has a question, which may be rhetorical. “Any sign of drinks yet?”
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6th over: India 7-0 (Rohit 5, Rahul 2) Robinson sees that jaffa from Jimmy and produces an even better ball, which beats Rahul by swinging up the slope. And then he does the same to Rohit. He’s such a good bowler. One day, when Anderson and Broad are working for Sky, Robinson will open with Saqib Mahmood, and Jofra Archer will come on first change, and Jack Leach will get his place back.
Here’s Kim Thonger. “I wonder if any OBO reader can settle a dispute here? I say the selectors are picking the teams by pinning the tail on the donkey while blindfolded, but my wife is convinced they’ve borrowed the National Lottery’s random number generator. How else do we explain the dropping of Crawley rather than Sibley? Does anyone have inside info?”
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5th over: India 6-0 (Rohit 5, Rahul 1) Rahul decides it’s time to get off the mark and takes a quick single into the covers. Then Anderson angles one in, Rohit pops it up off bat and pad... but there’s no short leg. Finally Anderson produces a beauty – in the channel, holding its line, beating Rohit’s tentative prod.
4th over: India 3-0 (Rohit 3, Rahul 0) Another maiden, from Robinson. The openers are starting, as they did at Trent Bridge, by playing patience. The cameras go looking for famous faces in the crowd and find Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, and Michael Parkinson, the former chat-show host. Not together.
3rd over: India 3-0 (Rohit 3, Rahul 0) Anderson, bowling to Rahul, reels off some dots and then has an LBW appeal, but Richard Illingworth gives a dismissive shake of the head as the ball strikes the pad outside the line. That’s a maiden. Somewhere near Nottingham, a tall blond man with his calf in a cast utters a murmur of approval.
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2nd over: India 3-0 (Rohit 3, Rahul 0) From the Pavilion end it’s Ollie Robinson, stepping into Stuart Broad’s shoes. He almost deceives Rohit first ball, angling one down the slope that almost nicks the off bail. Rohit, playing beautifully straight, picks up two with a mere block , back past the bowler, before Robinson beats Rahul on the inside edge, rapping him on the thigh.
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1st over: India 1-0 (Rohit 1, Rahul 0) Anderson opens with a gentle outswinger, 81mph. The Indian openers, who were so good at Trent Bridge, get going with a friendly half-volley on middle-and-leg, which Rohit Sharma tucks for a single. KL Rahul then gets three balls to leave alone outside off. David Lloyd spots that the batsmen’s scratch marks are showing up dark, which means there’s moisture in the surface. Anderson, if he really is fully fit, could be lethal when he lands the ball on off stump.
The players are back out there
And Jimmy Anderson has the ball, again. “This is gonna be fun,” says Bumble.
Play will start at 11.30
In theory.
Time for some responses to Sibley’s retention. “I feel for Crawley,” says Gary Naylor on Twitter, “but while there’s a danger Sibley slows momentum too much & has lack of scoring strokes he’s doing exactly what he’s picked for. I wonder if an Ian Bell style rest for Zak and runs in late summer county games will get him in nick for Oz. Hope so!” Agreed about Crawley. But with Sibley, it’s a bit more than a danger, isn’t it?
“Feel compelled,” says Barnaby Merrill, “perhaps not to defend Sibley’s scoring, but point out that he does what has worked for him over a number of years, and what he is being selected into the team to do. If he could score all over the ground while defending solidly, I’m sure he’d do it!” Yes, but wouldn’t everyone?
A glimmer of hope from Bumble
In the stands, a shaven-headed man in a party shirt puts on a poncho. On the screen, David Lloyd makes reassuring noises: “I just think this is going to be about 15 minutes... It might be less. Beyond this cloud is a little bit of blue sky.”
Rain stops fun!
Noooo... they’re going off before a ball is bowled.
Jimmy Anderson has the ball. And to show how fit he is, he is having a little pogo.
The bell has been rung
... by Enid Bakewell, who is 80 and possibly England’s greatest female all-rounder.
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Before all that intrigue, I asked you who was the only man to have appeared in all 15 of England’s Tests since lockdown. The first right answer came from Luke Baxter on Twitter: “Is it Sibley who has appeared in all the COVID Tests?” It is! And he’s there again today, returning to the scene of the crime after making a miserably slow fifty to kill the game against New Zealand at Lord’s in June. He owes the crowd one.
It's a funny old game
Last week, when England didn’t have a spinner, they batted first, thus opting to bowl last. Today, equipped with a spinner, they have elected to bowl first. Will Mo get a go?
That toss...
... was the eighth Virat Kohli has lost in England, out of eight. Seven against England, one against New Zealand in the World Test Championship final.
Teams in full
It should surely be Dom Sibley giving way to Haseeb Hameed, but it’s Zak Crawley, who has gone from hero to zero even faster than Hameed did. So England play three openers, only one of whom has the thing an opener most needs – an orthodox technique.
England 1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Haseeb Hameed, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Jos Buttler (wkt), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Ollie Robinson, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jimmy Anderson.
India 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rishabh Pant (wkt), 7 Ravi Jadeja, 8 Ishant Sharma, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj.
No Ashwin!
It’s Ishant Sharma who replaces Shardal Thakur. A very fine bowler, but it’s just ridiculous that India can’t find room for Ashwin. England will be more at ease facing Mohammed Siraj, promising though he is.
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Haseeb Hameed is back!
A wonderful moment. Every sportsperson’s life is a rollercoaster, but none more than this guy. Three excellent Tests as a teenager, then five years in the wilderness. He was released by Lancashire.
Anderson plays!
And Mark Wood replaces Stuart Broad.
Toss: England win and bowl
Ooh.
Oh, Jimmy Jimmy
A tweet from my colleague Ali Martin. “The vibe at Lord’s,” he says, “is Jimmy Anderson plays…” And Ali is usually very well informed. But that is quite a risk to take – the last time Anderson played through the pain, at Edgbaston two years ago, he bowled only four overs and missed the rest of the Ashes.
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Rain stops! Play to start at 11.15
... assuming it doesn’t rain again.
Rain delays toss!
Out of a clear grey sky, we have some drizzle.
Quiz question
England (men) have played 15 Tests since Covid came along, and only one player has appeared in all of them. Who is he?
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Preamble: a new England?
Morning everyone and welcome to the first day of a mouth-watering Test match. It’s Lord’s! It’s not raining! And these two teams have just shown us how well matched they are, as long as they’re playing with a Dukes ball on a greentop.
Last time India appeared in a Test at Lord’s, Jimmy Anderson grabbed nine wickets, Stuart Broad five, and the whole Indian team twice failed to make as many runs in an innings as Chris Woakes. This time will surely be different, if only because two of those three are injured, and quite possibly all of them.
If you’re looking for a new England, you will find it on the scorecard. Assuming Anderson joins Broad on the sidelines, Ollie Robinson – already a senior player in his third Test – could be joined by Mark Wood, Craig Overton (or Saqib Mahmood), Sam Curran and Moeen Ali. The funny thing is that although that seam attack has about one-seventh of Anderson and Broad’s experience, the understudies may be just as effective as the old troupers. And they should be far better at batting.
India, who made the running over five soggy days at Trent Bridge, have only one injury and it could leave them even stronger. The bustling fourth seamer Shardal Thakur drops out, which should allow Ravichandran Ashwin to escape from his position as the world’s most talented 12th man. India’s only worry is their middle order, who made nine runs between them at Trent Bridge. The big question is: can Virat Kohli last more than one ball?
He may be relieved if Anderson doesn’t make it, but he’ll still have to deal with Moeen, who got him for 0 in Chennai in February. Kohli has three ducks in his last five Test innings against England, which makes it all the more likely that he will soon go into three figures. Even more ominously, his highest score in a Test at Lord’s is 25.
Play starts at 11am UK time, and I’ll be back about 10.35 with news of the toss and teams.
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