Ace England pacer James Anderson picked five wickets against India in the first innings of the Lord’s Test as the visitors were bowled out for 364. India, who had KL Rahul’s 129 and Rohit Sharma’s 83 to set them off to a good start on Day 1, could not make the momentum count the next morning. This was Anderson's 31st five-wicket haul.
India finished Day 1 at 276/3 and lost the next seven wickets 88 runs, with Rahul and vice captain Ajinkya Rahane unable to kick on in the morning session. Indian captain Virat Kohli had scored 42 on Day 1.
Ollie Robinson struck off the second ball on the day and James Anderson with his first as England seemed like they were going wrestle away the momentum from India.
Robinson’s half volley landed in the hands of Dom Sibley as KL Rahul (129) drove to perfection, almost and a few deliveries later Ajinkya Rahane’s (1) outside edge gave Joe Root an easy catch, giving Anderson his third wicket of the innings.
India’s famed number 3, 4 and 5 had totalled 52 runs in the first innings, putting in a below par performance yet again.
At 282/5, India, with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the middle were going to need to stabilise.
Pant danced down the track to Anderson and shouldered arms while Jadeja stayed put in his crease and let the ball go as both batters curbed their natural instincts, thwarting England’s charges on an overcast morning.
A fighting 37 off 58 from Pant meant India hadn’t collapsed as was the worry after the early wickets, but crucially lost the talented batter half an hour before Lunch. Pant, looking to accelerate the scoring rate a shade, tried to cut one that was too close to the body and edged it to Jos Buttler off Mark Wood.
Ravindra Jadeja soldiers on on Day 2 at Lord's
Image: PTI
Pant found the boundary five times and was starting to look dangerous when he was dismissed. Jadeja at the other end was playing second fiddle and more than a fair few dots.
Off the next over, Mohammed Shami, who walked in at 8, was dismissed first ball by Moeen Ali, reducing India to 336/7 with 20 minutes to go for Lunch.
After the break, Ishant and Jadeja stuck around for about half an hour, adding vital runs to the total as India inched towards the 370-run mark.
Ishant’s resistance ended after 29 deliveries off which he scored 8 when he was trapped LBW by Anderson.
The veteran pacer then completed his five-wicket haul when he dismissed Jasprit Bumrah for a 0.
Off the next over, Jadeja (40) went looking for the big hit and was caught by Anderson for 40 off Mark Wood as India were bowled out for 364.
England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley negotiated the hour left in that session as they went into Tea at 23/0.
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