How Did Root and Pope Propel England to 83/2 After Reddy's Strikes?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Joe Root and Ollie Pope formed a key partnership.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy was instrumental in early breakthroughs.
- England reached 83/2 at lunch, showing resilience.
London, July 10 (NationPress) Joe Root and Ollie Pope forged a solid, unbroken 39-run partnership following the double dismissals of England's openers by Nitish Kumar Reddy. This effort led England to a score of 83/2 after 25 overs during the lunch break on the opening day of the third Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against India at Lord's on Thursday.
Reddy, known for his ability to capitalize on the new red ball, struck twice in just four deliveries during his first over, sending both Duckett and Crawley back to the pavilion after a solid first hour's play. With Root (24 not out) and Pope (12 not out) at the crease, England managed to stabilize and reach lunch without further loss.
Opting to bowl first, Jasprit Bumrah, who replaced Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep caused trouble, especially for a struggling Zak Crawley. Despite some initial resistance, Crawley found himself in a difficult position after a few overs. In the eighth over, he managed to score three boundaries off wide deliveries from Akash, including one that narrowly cleared the slips.
After four overs from the Pavilion End, Bumrah's seaming deliveries troubled both Duckett and Crawley. Following the drinks break, India’s bowling change bore fruit when Duckett fell to a slower ball from Reddy, gloving a pull shot that was caught by Rishabh Pant.
Reddy completed the 14th over by dismissing Crawley with a length ball that swung away at the last moment, leading to an edge caught by Pant. While Pope displayed his usual energy, it was Root who contributed significantly to the score, striking two fours off Mohammed Siraj and another boundary off Akash Deep, bringing a session with mixed fortunes to a close.
Current Scores:
England: 83/2 in 25 overs (Joe Root 24 not out, Ben Duckett 23; Nitish Kumar Reddy 2-15) against India