Alongside Ben Stokes (39*), Root added an unbeaten 79 for the fifth wicket, helping England recover from early setbacks and end the day in a strong position. His knock came off 191 balls and was a return to classical Test-match batting, far from the usual Bazball aggression.
England, opting to bat for only the second time in the Bazball era, showed patience on a slow pitch. India bowled with control throughout the day, led by Nitish Kumar Reddy who struck twice before lunch. Jadeja and Bumrah chipped in with a wicket each in the evening session.
Despite a wicketless afternoon, India stayed disciplined. Rishabh Pant suffered a finger injury while collecting a delivery from Bumrah and was briefly replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps. However, Pant is expected to resume duties on Day 2.
The day also highlighted the sustained popularity of Test cricket in England, with a full house at Lord’s and fans flying in from abroad. With the series level at 1-1, the contest remains finely poised going into Day 2.
