Nitish Kumar Reddy's Twin Strikes Keep England in Check at Lord's

Nitish Kumar Reddy's impactful twin strikes in his first over were the standout moments of a well-balanced opening session for India on the inaugural day of the third Test against England at Lord's on Thursday. By the conclusion of the first session, England had reached 83/2, with Joe Root (24*) and Ollie Pope (12*) at the crease, maintaining a 39-run partnership.

Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett cautiously faced the aggressive pace of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. The pitch offered a slight grass cover but lacked significant initial carry. Despite a slow start with only 15 runs in the first seven overs, Crawley opened up in the eighth, dispatching Akash for three boundaries.

By the 13th over, England stood at 35/0, with Duckett (19*) and Crawley (18*) having survived the first hour. Post-drinks, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was introduced into the attack, an immediate game-changer. He induced wickets from both Duckett and Crawley, caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, suddenly placing England at 44/2.

Duckett fell attempting a pull shot, while Crawley misjudged, glancing off his gloves into Pant's hands. Joe Root teamed up with Ollie Pope, edging England to the 50-run mark with two boundaries off Mohammed Siraj's 18th over. Root's assertive shots through mid-wicket and covers signaled his determination to reverse England's recent batting struggles.

Root and Pope ensured no further setbacks as the session concluded. Brief Scores: England 83/2 (Joe Root 24*, Ben Duckett 23, Nitish Kumar Reddy 2/15) vs India. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)