Can India Overcome England's Lead with KL Rahul's Steady Performance?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- KL Rahul's unbeaten 53 is vital for India's innings.
- Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional bowling performance with 5 wickets.
- Joe Root's century strengthens England's position.
- India must strategize effectively to chase down England's lead.
- Strong partnerships are key for both teams moving forward.
London, July 11 (NationPress) KL Rahul played a resilient innings, remaining unbeaten on 53 as India concluded Day Two of the third Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. The visitors find themselves trailing England by 242 runs, finishing the day at 145/3 after 43 overs at Lord's on Friday.
Demonstrating patience and determination, Rahul struck five boundaries during his innings off 113 balls, facing challenging deliveries from England's bowlers. With Rishabh Pant alongside him, who is on 19 not out, Rahul is pivotal for India as they aim to surpass England's first innings total of 387. Jasprit Bumrah shone with the ball, taking 5 wickets for 74 runs in his 27 overs.
Bumrah, in only his second Test at Lord's, achieved his 13th five-wicket haul at this historic ground, surpassing the legendary Kapil Dev for the record of most five-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler in overseas Tests.
Despite Joe Root scoring 104 - his 37th Test century and 11th against India - England found themselves in a precarious position at 271/7, until Smith and Brydon Carse formed a partnership that added 84 runs for the eighth wicket, lifting the spirits of the home side on a slow pitch under the scorching sun.
While Smith contributed 51 runs after surviving a drop by Rahul at five, Carse made his maiden Test fifty with a score of 56. England also benefited from India conceding 31 extras. The day began with Root elegantly driving Bumrah for four to secure his century off the very first ball of the morning session, surpassing both Rahul Dravid and Steve Smith on the overall list of centurions.
Bumrah, however, responded strongly, dismissing Stokes with a superb delivery that angled in from around the wicket, knocking the bails off. He then claimed Root's wicket for the 11th time in Tests with a delivery that nipped in, resulting in Root chopping onto his stumps.
The Indian bowler continued to take wickets, catching the outside edge off Chris Woakes after India decided to review the umpire's call. India could have claimed another wicket if Jamie Smith had not been dropped by KL Rahul at second slip. The visitors quickly requested a new ball after just 10.3 overs.
The new ball momentarily halted India's momentum, as Smith capitalized on loose deliveries from Siraj and Bumrah. Eventually, India had to change the ball again after only 48 deliveries. With a strong lower-order fightback from Smith, Carse grew in confidence, hitting boundaries and singles, leading to a successful 50-run partnership.
Smith reached his fifty off 52 balls with a single through backward square leg, contributing to England's score of 353/7 at lunch. Post-lunch, India struck early as Siraj dismissed Smith with a delivery that had him playing away from his body.
After Carse hit a couple of boundaries off Bumrah, the pacer clinched his five-wicket haul by clean bowling Archer. Siraj wrapped up England's innings by bowling Carse.
India's innings began positively with a boundary from Chris Woakes, but Jaiswal fell victim to Jofra Archer on his Test return. Remaining calm, Rahul showcased good judgment and technique to stay at the crease, while Nair faced some early challenges before hitting consecutive boundaries.
The final session saw Nair and Rahul both scoring well, with Rahul leaning into a drive off Ben Stokes. Root's stunning catch at slip to dismiss Nair was notable for helping him surpass Rahul Dravid's record for most catches in Tests.
Even as Rahul maintained his focus, Shubman Gill struggled early on, ultimately falling to a delivery from Woakes. Pant returned to the game despite a finger injury and quickly scored three boundaries. Rahul reached his fifty off 97 balls, demonstrating composure until stumps marked the end of an engaging day of Test cricket.
Brief scores:
England 387 in 112.3 overs (Joe Root 104, Brydon Carse 56; Jasprit Bumrah 5-74, Nitish Kumar Reddy 2-62) lead India 145/3 in 43 overs (KL Rahul 53 not out, Karun Nair 40; Ben Stokes 1-16, Jofra Archer 1-22) by 242 runs