India openers RohitSharma and KL Rahul negotiated a tough opening spell againstEngland’s seamers and reached 46/0 before more rain arrived to bring about anearly lunch in the first day of the second test at Lord’s on Thursday. Earlier,England won the toss and chose to bowl first in the second Test against Indiaat Lord’s on Thursday. The start of play was delayed 15 minutes because of somemorning rain.
A dream start forIndia in this crucial second Test. Virat Kohli would now be smiling about thefact that he lost the toss earlier. A solid 100-plus opening stand from RohitSharma and KL Rahul. And more importantly 81 of the 108 runs have been scoredby Rohit . He is looking in solid control and inching towards his maiden Testton in England.
Everyone waswondering how would KL Rauhl and Rohit Sharma withstand the swinging conditionsand boy they have proved their doubters wrong! Rohit has looked in sublimetouch so far, playing some beautiful cricket shots. He has already completedhis half-century and is in his 70s. Meanwhile, KL Rahul is playing the watchfulinnings today, he is yet to reach his 20s having already played over 90 balls.
India 114/0 after 40overs. Rohit and KL Rahul continue to dominate the England bowlers with theirwatchfull innings. Right in the last ball of the 40th over Sam Curran hit RohitSharma's boot with a yorker and appealed, but the umpire dismissed it as the ballwas clearly heading down the leg.
James Anderson, witha crucial breakthrough and Rohit is gone for 83! Anderson kept pegging away andbrought one back into the stumps which finds a way through Rohit's defence. Itis such a shame he couldn’t get 17 more, but what a job he has done for hisside. IND- 140/1
James Anderson,England’s record wicket taker, was declared fit. He joins Mark Wood and OllieRobinson in a pace attack missing Stuart Broad, who is out of the seriesbecause of a torn calf muscle. In two changes higher up the order, HaseebHameed replaced Zak Crawley to bat at No. 3 and allrounder Moeen Ali camein for Dan Lawrence. India’s only change from the drawn first test sawseamer Ishant Sharma replace spinning allrounder Shardul Thakur, whois out with a hamstring injury.
England (Playing XI): RoryBurns, Dominic Sibley, Haseeb Hameed, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, JosButtler(w), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, James Anderson
India (Playing XI): RohitSharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, RishabhPant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, JaspritBumrah, Mohammed Siraj