India vs England 3rd Test Day 1 Highlights: Root finishes day of attrition on 99; ENG 251/4 at Stumps on Day 1

He is on 96 off 187 balls, Stokes on 39 off 100. Can the former England captain get to the century today or has he decided to just leave it for the morning session tomorrow? It will be no surprise if it is either really. 

Well we have had all kinds of delays today so why not this one. Lord's is suddenly swarming and the critters seem to be flying especially close to Bumrah's ears. He is not bowling, mind you, it is still Akash Deep and we have had three balls with the new ball. Stokes is on strike and not particularly happy with this delay. 

The game does get underway eventually and Stokes keeps out the last two balls of that over. He is on 39 off 96, Root on 93 off 185. 

Root will be on strike as Bumrah gets ready to steam in with the new ball from the other end. 

England 245/4

...after Akash Deep bowls a grand total of one delivery in the 81st over with the old ball. India had done the same thing in the last match as well. Root took a single off the last deliver bowled with that ball, moves to 92 in 184. Stokes to face the new ball. 

England 243/4 in 80.1 overs

A single off Sundar's fifth ball in the 79th over takes Root to 90 in 181 balls. Stokes runs a single as well off the last ball and keeps strikes. It is slow running only for the England captain whose limp seems to have eased off a bit though. 

England 240/4 in 79 overs

Jadeja replaces Reddy in the 74th over and so it is him an Washington Sundar with the ball now. Meanwhile, it looks like that wasn't just a cramp for Ben Stokes. He was holding his groin while getting treatment and the on-screen commentators say that it looks like an injury to his adductor. If that is the case, Stokes might find it difficult to bowl. For now, he is on 33 off 76 balls, Root on 83 off 168 balls. 

England 228/4 

It looks like the England captain is suffering some cramps. The physio is out and Stokes can be seen taking of his right thigh pad. Then he gets some treatment there. It is a hot day. Even so, it might be a bit of a concern for England that he is cramping up after facing 69 balls. He has scored 32 runs, Root at the other end on 81 off 157. 

And it is brought up with a lovely on-drive for four by Root. Reddy had gone full outside off third ball of the 72nd over, Root takes a couple of steps forward before meeting it. The partnership between him and Stokes thus goes to 52 in 100 balls. 

England 224/4 

But they retain thereview because it is umpire's call. Nitish Kumar Reddy returns to the attack in the 68th over. His second ball is helped along fine by Stokes for four. Then a big shoult for LBW off the fifth ball as Stokes misses his flick. The umpire says no and India review. No bat on it, the angle was taking it down leg and it is umpire's call on impact. Stokes survives and the batters had run two leg byes off it as well. 

England 213/4 in 68 overs

A single off the last ball of Siraj's second over of this spell, his 13th of the day, does the trick. Stokes made a hash of a pull shot to get it. He is on 19 off 37, Root on 71 of 141. It is Siraj and Washington Sundar with the ball in hand for India now. The partnership between Stokes and Root has produced 30 runs in 61 balls. 

England 202/4 in 65 overs

The England captain seems to have come out with the intention of playing the way he did back when he constructed a reputation for being one of the most destructive batters in Test cricket. Akash Deep gives him some width fourth ball of the 58th over and Stokes cuts it through backward point for four. Then he goes up and over backward point for another four next ball. 

Top of off and there is Bumrah's first wicket of this match. Bumrah sends this in from over the stumps, it kept coming in with the angle. Brook drives forward but not with too much conviction, it goes right through him and takes the top of off. You can't keep him down for long, Bumrah has one and India have taken charge early in the third session. 

Brook b Bumrah 11 (20)

England 172/4 

Here is an official update from the BCCI on Rishabh Pant: "#TeamIndia vice-captain Rishabh Pant got hit on his left index finger. He is receiving treatment at the moment and under the supervision of the medical team. Dhruv Jurel is currently keeping wickets in Rishabh's absence."

Bumrah returns to bowl from the other end. He delivers a brute to Root fourth ball, a bouncer that the former England captain tried to pull and failed. Bit of interest from behind the stumps but the ball was nowhere near the bat. Root takes a single next ball and then Brook sends the last ball through point for four. 

England 160/3 in 51 overs

That is a brilliant catch from Dhruv Jurel! Jadeja gives it a bit of width, Pope flashes at it, after spending an entire session avoiding shots like those. There was a bit of turn away from him, it takes a big edge and Jurel, alert as ever, gets his gloves in the right place to take the catch. 

Pope c sub (DC Jurel) b Jadeja 44 (104)

All right then, Ollie Pope is on strike, Ravindra Jadeja continuing for the 50th over. Pope and Root have been out there for 210 balls now and added 109 runs. Here we go!

Spin from both ends, Washington Sundar joins Jadeja as he replaces Akash Deep. Just a single from his first over. Both batters remain unbeaten to finish this session. England 153/2 at Tea. 

Spinner for the first time today, Ravindra Jadeja comes into the attack in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy and bowls a very quick over to give two singles and give India enough time to bowl another over before Tea. The first single takes England past 150.  

ENG 151/2 in 48 overs

Akash Deep continues. FOUR! Freebie for Pope this time. A tired Akash bowls down the leg and Pope just glances it fine for a boundary. This also brings 100-run stand between these two batters. 

ENG 149/2 in 47 overs 

Akash Deep continues. FOUR! Freebie for Pope this time. A tired Akash bowls down the leg and Pope just glances it fine for a boundary. This also brings 100-run stand between these two batters.

ENG 149/2 in 47 overs 

Joe Root gets to his 67th half-century in Test cricket with a FOUR off Nitish Kumar Reddy's loosener. Slow, in middle and leg, Root just plays across to find fence at fine-leg. His third slowest fifty in Bazball era, hits fifty in 102 deliveries. 

ENG 142/2 in 46 overs

Nasser Hussain with an update on commentary: Rishabh Pant has a chipped finger nail, he is icing it and currently there are no serious concerns, he should be OK. 

- Vinayakk Mohanarangan

Gill finally manages to convince on-field umpire. It's not Sharfuddoula but Paul Reiffel who calls the fourth umpire and gets India another ball to change the old disoriented Dukes ball. Nitish Kumar Reddy has the ball. FOUR! Too much width on offer for Root, easy pickings for him and he cuts it late for a boundary.

ENG 130/2 in 44 overs 

Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill are unhappy with the on-field umpire who called the fourth umpire to change the ball due to its change in shape but Sharfuddoula changes his mind and ask the Indian team to continue with the ball. Akash Deep jags one back, hitting Pope on thigh pad but both on-field ump and skipper Gill felt it was missing stumps due to the hieght.

ENG 126/2 in 43 overs

After Mohammed SIraj and Jasprit Bumrah made Joe Root and Pope run for their money, things are seemingly getting easier for the batters at the middle with each passing ball. A wicket would still change the scenario in this session but England are cruising at the moment. 

ENG 120/2 in 42 overs

The pair of Pope and Root are finding no real difficulty in getting the scoreboard ticking. The partnership is worth 70 between these two batters for the fourth wicket and India will look to break this stand quickly before it gets dangerous. 

ENG 115/2 in 40 overs

The pair of Pope and Root are finding no real difficulty in getting the scoreboard ticking. The partnership is worth 70 between these two batters for the fourth wicket and India will look to break this stand quickly before it gets dangerous. 

ENG 115/2 in 40 overs

The pair of Pope and Root are finding no real difficulty in getting the scoreboard ticking. The partnership is worth 70 between these two batters for the fourth wicket and India will look to break this stand quickly before it gets dangerous. 

ENG 115/2 in 40 overs

Root is now looking very comfortable at the moment. He played out tough spell from Siraj and Bumrah and now cashing in on looseners. He leans ahead for his classic drive along the ground off an outside off delivery from Siraj. Siraj then dragged one down leg and Root pads it for another boundary. Drinks break. 

ENG 109/2 in 37 overs

First change in the bowling attack after lunch, Nitish Kumar Reddy comes in for Jasprit Bumrah. Root pushed one to mid-wicket, taking England past 100. Pope slashes one hard to gully where Jaiswal has been stationed and it does not seem to have carried by the intital looks of it. 

ENG 101/2 in 36 overs 

Okay, so Jurel is here. Pant has left the field in pain. Tough job for Jurel as well to straightaway come and keep without any warm-up. Nonetheless, he is at the middle doing his duties. Siraj continues and gives a single and a double.

ENG 98/2 in 35 overs

Dhruv Jurel has been kept on stand-by in case Pant has to go out. He chose to continue for now but is avoiding to use his injured left hand. Bumrah, meanwhile finishes his over, giving four from this one including two byes. England are nearing 100-run mark. 

ENG 95/2 in 34 overs

Stoppage in play as Pant is getting some treatment. His heavily strapped fingers have take a blow from the previous delivery. Physio is applying magic spray and he is getting some painkillers but looks in excrutiating pain here. This is not looking good for India. He is finding difficulty even in getting his wicket-keeping gloves on. 

England gets their first run after 29 dot deliveries. Tight bowling and as good fielding from close-in fielders keep India interested for a wicket here. 

ENG 90/2 in 32 overs

And it continues, Siraj bowls a maiden as Root carefully plays out the over. Bumrah then beats Pope outside off. Is this an early sign of a wicket here? Terrific bowling from two experienced senior bowlers. Maiden for Bumrah as well. England, still 89. 

ENG 89/2 in 30 overs

A couple of quiet overs from Siraj, and then followed by Bumrah. Need more of these to start building pressure. 

ENG 89/2 in 28 overs

Jasprit Bumrah comes from over the wicket against Pope, looks to trap the batter with an inswinger across the slope. FOUR! Bumrah overcooks this time, bowls a tad bit fuller on the legs and gets the apt treatment from Pope, who flicks off the backfoot. 

ENG 87/2 in 26 overs

We're back, so are the players in the middle. All set for the second session as Bumrah will start from the Nursery end with Ollie Pope on strike. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy, the successful bowler for India in this session, bowled the final over before lunch. Just a single from this over. A shared first session for India and England. After winning the toss and electing to bat first for the first time in this series, they got off to a decent start, negating Indian bowlers any wicket from their first spell but just when things were looking to skew in England's way, Nitish picked two wickets off his very first over, removing both the openers to take India back in this game. Since then, Ollie Pope and especially Joe Root did a good enough job to keep the scoreboard ticking and taking England to 83 at LUNCH.

Akash continues. FOUR! Third boundary for Root already in his short innings. He has come with a positive approach and is looking to score runs whenever he can. Bumrah follows it up by giving just a single.

ENG 82/2 in 24 overs

Bumrah comes back into the attack from the Nursery end. Master of his craft, Bumrah, whose natural outswing would have been assisted by the slope running right to left from this end, is able to trouble Joe Root with his sharp inswingers too. Barring one delivery, which drifted down leg for a leg bye FOUR, Bumrah bowled a really good over to start his second spell. 

ENG 73/2 in 22 overs

Both Joe Root and Ollie Pope are actively looking for singles and doubles to keep the close-in fielders busy as we move closer to lunch. Rotating strike seems as their primary objective to release some pressure which was built up after those two quick wickets. 

ENG 68/2 in 21 overs 

Disciplined bowling from Indian pacers. After Siraj's nine-run over, Nitish gave just a single from his over while Akash Deep was brought back into the attack for his second spell. He started his spell with a three-run over. 

ENG 58/2 in 19 overs

Joe Root, who got off the mark with a single off Nitish Kumar Reddy's delivery, cracks one hard for a boundary off Siraj. He comes behind the outswinging delivery of Siraj and leans forward for a beautiful drive. Another FOUR! This time flicks the delivery, darted in the middle by Siraj. Akash gives it a chase but fails to stop this time. Nine from this over. England past fifty as well. 

ENG 54/2 in 17 overs

Mohammed Shami follows it up with a maiden over. He induced an outside edge off Pope but drops short of first slip, where Karun Nair was stationed. Nitish continues and he is getting good shape in his deliveries. Just a single from his second over.

ENG 45/2 in 16 overs 

Break for Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been brought into the attack by Gill. Duckett gets beaten and it looked close. FOUR! Too full, into the middle and flicked away with authority. Duckett looks locked in. OUT! Nitish Kumar Reddy picks a wicket in his first over! Would you believe this? Duckett strangled down the leg, lucky for NKR. A set and locked-in Duckett has to depart. He reaps the reward of some good bowling by Bumrah, Akash and Siraj in the opening hour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope comes in at number three and almost fell off the first ball. He drives away from the body and the edge, almost carried to a flying Gill. Pope gets off the mark with a single. Nitish to Crawley, OUT! And another one for NKR! Crawley poked and nicked the ball which moved just enough to send back the opener. From 39/0 to 44/2 in a space of six deliveries. 

ENG 44/2 in 14 overs

After Jasprit bowls his sixth over, Siraj has been slotted in for his third. A couple of down the leg drifting deliveries from Siraj to Duckett over the wicket before he beats the left-hander with an outswinger outside off stumps. Duckett pushed one off the covers, looking for a couple but Crawley slips while looking for the second. First hour done, time for drinks.  

ENG 39/0 in 13 overs

Siraj will now bowl as Akash Deep is withdrawn after 4 overs with the new ball. Starts with back to back dots as Crawley stays rooted to the spot. And England get no joy off this over. Maiden over.

ENG 35/0

Crawley finally breaks shackles and hits Akash Deep for three boundaries to move into double digits. Mohammed Siraj comes in as first change bowler into the attack and Crawley hits him for a boundary too. 

ENG 33/0 in 9 overs 

There were a lot of speculations about the colour of the pitch before the World Test Championship final, with very little grass and pitch got better as it went on.

But this wicket with a different colour and lack of grass does seems different. This wicket might not be as good as Headingley and Edgbaston. What makes a good score for England might be around 350-370. 

Akash Deep tests Zak Crawley's patience, which looks dodgy at the moment. Twice, he tries to charge down the ground but Akash gets some movement off the air. Crawley gets beaten as plays out the rest of the over. Another maiden for Akash. 

ENG 15/0 in 6 overs

Bumrah goes around the wicket against Duckett. The left-hander gets a blow from Bumrah on the belly. FOUR! Ah, good leaning drive along the ground for Duckett. Six from this over. 

ENG 15/0 in 5 overs

A clean over from Akash Deep. Bowls a maiden to follow his first over. 

ENG 9/0 in 4 overs

Bumrah continues from his end. No real movement for Bumrah till now. The pitch does not have enough grass, as it was shown in the build-up ahead of the Test; now it looks drier in appearance. Bumrah ends up giving just a single from his second over. 

ENG 9/0 in 3 overs

Bumrah continues from his end. No real movement for Bumrah till now. The pitch does not have enough grass, as it was shown in the build-up ahead of the Test; now it looks drier in appearance. Bumrah ends up giving just a single from his second over. 

ENG 9/0 in 3 overs

No marks for guessing who has the new ball from the other end. Akash Deep starts from around the wicket to get the same awkward angle against the left-hander, which tends to bother him. FOUR! Drifting down the leg and Duckett guides it fine past Pant. Six from this over. 

ENG 8/0 in 2 overs

Bright sunny morning in London, perhaps the main reason for Ben Stokes to elect to bat first after winning the toss. Bumrah starts with a loosener on off, Crawley had enough time to defend it. Bumrah follows it up with an outswinger which moves away quite a lot, a diving Pant fails to collect as England get the first runs on the board via byes. Duckett edges his first ball but it didn't carry to Pant. Bumrah shouts, "Ball carry nahi kar raha, soft hai" (The ball is soft, it's not carrying). Ducketts gets off the mark wth a single. Two off Bumrah's first over. 

ENG 2/0 in 1 over 

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett open for England. Jasprit Bumrah has the new ball in hand. He will start from over the wicket to the right-hander Crawley.  

We are just moments away from live action. Time for the national anthem.