Root’s 180 not out propels England in lead

England v India, Second Test,  Day 1  at Lords

India first innings  364 ao off 126.1ov, Rahul 129 off 250, 12 fours, 1 six, Rohit Sharma 83 off 145, 11 fours, 1 six, Virat Kohli 42 off 103m 3 fours, Rishabh Pant 37 off 56, 5 fours, Ravindra Jadeja  40 off 120, 4 fours, James Anderson 5-62, Ollie Robinson 2-73, Mark Wood 2-91, Moeen Ali 1-53  

England 391  ao off 128 ov, Root 180no. off 321, 18 fours, Bairstow 57 off 107, 7 fours Burns 49 off 136, 7 fours, Siraj 4-94, Shami 2-95, Ishant Sharma 3-69.

England lead by 27 runs

Joe Root played a captain’s innings by scoring a masterful second century in the space of a week,  From Root’s 10 Tests, this was his fifth century of 2021,  was however, denied the opportunity to become the first England player to make three double hundreds in a year as he ran out of partners. Root carried the home side, through an unbeaten 180 at Lord’s and was ably supported by Jonny Bairstow whose 57 was his first Test half-century for two years. Barely a run was scored down the ground. Most of the runs were scored from off-side drives and punches off front and back foot, delicate dabs to third man, with whips and flicks off the pads.

Ishant Sharma  who sparked the late fightback, snared and  removed Moeen Ali and Sam Curran who edged the first ball to second slip, in successive deliveries as the hosts were bowled out for 391,  a 27-run lead.  India overcame the heat and the pitch to beat the bat with regular intervals. England lost three wickets for 16 runs.