ENG vs IND 3rd Test Session 2: Rahul-Nair keep India going at Lord's

Archer struck in his first over with the ball to announce his return to red-ball cricket after four years in style

India and England will feel like they are on level terms after the end of the second session of Day 2 of the third Test at Lord’s. After bundling England out for 387, India played out the rest of the session by putting up 44 runs on the board with the loss of one wicket, as they still trail by 343 runs in the first innings.

 

The second session of the day was just like the first, as India struck early courtesy of Siraj, who got Jamie Smith (51) caught behind to hand India the eighth wicket of the innings. Bumrah then struck to remove Jofra Archer (4) as England were pushed to the brink of being all out.

 

 

There was a minor injury scare for India after the ninth wicket, as Shubman Gill needed medical attention, but he was okay to continue after a quick check-up. Meanwhile, Brydon Carse continued to attack and completed his maiden Test half-century with a six over long-on off Mohammad Siraj, but the pacer got his revenge and dismissed Carse on 56 as England’s innings came to an end on 387.

 

India’s start in their first innings was less than ideal as they lost in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal in the very second over, for just 13, off Jofra Archer, who was bowling his first over in Test cricket after a four-year hiatus. But KL Rahul (13*), and Karun Nair (18*), then went on to play out the rest of the session without any further damage to keep India on level terms with England in the innings.

 

Earlier, the first session of Day 2 began with Joe Root striking a boundary off the first ball to bring up his 37th Test hundred, moving to fifth on the all-time list for most career centuries in the format. However, just 12 balls later, Jasprit Bumrah knocked over Ben Stokes’ stumps for 44, ending a vital 88-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Root and Stokes.

 

India nearly had another breakthrough in the following over when Jamie Smith edged Mohammad Siraj to KL Rahul at second slip, but the latter spilled a straightforward chance. Smith capitalised immediately, taking a single off the next delivery to reach 100 Test runs in only 21 innings, equalling South Africa’s Quinton de Kock for the fewest innings to the milestone by a wicketkeeper-batter.

 

England, however, had no time to recover as Bumrah struck again in the very next over. He bowled Root for 104 with a superb delivery and then had Chris Woakes caught behind for a duck off the next ball, putting England firmly on the back foot. But Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse mounted a solid response, adding a resilient half-century stand for the eighth wicket.

 

Smith went on to register another Test half-century as the session concluded with England adding 102 runs and India claiming three important wickets.

 

India 1st innings scorecard at tea on Day 2:

 

India 1st Inning
44-1 (14 ov) CRR:3.14
Batter	Dismissal	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Yashasvi Jaiswal	c H Brook b J Archer	13	8	3	0	162.5
KL Rahul	Not out	13	34	1	0	38.24
Karun Nair	Not out	18	42	2	0	42.86
Extras	0 (b 0, Ib 0, w 0, nb 0, p 0)
Total	44 (1 wkts, 14 Ov)
Bowler	O	M	R	W	NB	ECO
Chris Woakes	6	1	25	0	0	4.17
Jofra Archer	5	1	16	1	0	3.2
Brydon Carse	3	1	3	0	0	1

 

England 1st innings scorecard:

 

England 1st Inning
387-10 (112.3 ov) CRR:3.44
Batter	Dismissal	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Zak Crawley	c R Pant b N K Reddy	18	43	4	0	41.86
Ben Duckett	c R Pant b N K Reddy	23	40	3	0	57.5
Ollie Pope	c (sub D Jurel) b R Jadeja	44	104	4	0	42.31
Joe Root	b J Bumrah	104	199	10	0	52.26
Harry Brook	b J Bumrah	11	20	2	0	55
Ben Stokes (C)	b J Bumrah	44	110	4	0	40
Jamie Smith (WK)	c (sub D Jurel) b M Siraj	51	56	6	0	91.07
Chris Woakes	c (sub D Jurel) b J Bumrah	0	1	0	0	0
Brydon Carse	b M Siraj	56	83	6	1	67.47
Jofra Archer	b J Bumrah	4	11	1	0	36.36
Shoaib Bashir	Not out	1	10	0	0	10
Extras	31 (b 11, Ib 13, w 5, nb 2, p 0)
Total	387 (10 wkts, 112.3 Ov)
Bowler	O	M	R	W	NB	ECO
Jasprit Bumrah	27	5	74	5	0	2.74
Akash Deep	23	3	92	0	1	4
Mohammed Siraj	23.3	6	85	2	0	3.62
Nitish Kumar Reddy	17	0	62	2	0	3.65
Ravindra Jadeja	12	1	29	1	1	2.42
Washington Sundar	10	1	21	0	0	2.1