Reddy’s Double Strike Rocks England Early at Lord’s
We're underway at Lord’s for the third Test between England and India, and what a start it's been! England, having won the toss and opting to bat first, were rocked early by a fiery spell from India’s rising star, Nitish Kumar Reddy. In a single over after the drinks break, Reddy delivered a double blow—first sending Ben Duckett back with a faint edge down the leg side, and then nicking off Zak Crawley just three balls later. From a calm and collected opening stand, England suddenly found themselves 44 for 2.
As it stands, England are 82 for 2 in 24.1 overs, with Joe Root and Ollie Pope at the crease trying to steady the ship. Root is looking characteristically composed, already collecting a few elegant boundaries, including a whip fine for four off Akash Deep. Pope has chipped in with a confident cover drive, but India will be pleased with how they’ve started.
What makes Reddy’s performance even more impressive is the control and movement he’s extracted from the pitch. He’s generated the most swing (2.6 degrees) and seam movement (0.9 degrees) among all four bowlers this morning—quite something for a player still new on the Test scene. His average speed? A brisk 80.2 mph, but it’s his precision that’s causing England real problems.
Also Read:The crowd at Lord’s is buzzing, and there's a real Test match atmosphere in the air. From picnic blankets in the Coronation Garden to families touring bat-making stalls behind the stands, it’s a classic English cricketing summer day—sunny, tense, and full of drama.
Zak Crawley’s dismissal, as ever, has ignited debate. Some fans are calling for change at the top of the order, pointing to his average of 31.11 over 56 Tests. While others remember his promising run last summer before a finger injury derailed his momentum. Even pundits like Michael Vaughan believe there’s more potential in him than the numbers currently show.
India, meanwhile, have done exactly what you want to do after losing the toss—get early breakthroughs and build pressure. Jasprit Bumrah has been characteristically economical, and Akash Deep, although a bit expensive early on, has started finding better rhythm in his second spell.
There’s still a long way to go in this Test and in the series, which is delicately poised at 1-1. But make no mistake: this opening session has belonged to India. If England want to make the most of batting first on what looks like a good pitch, they’ll need Root and Pope to bat deep into the day and start building a substantial total.
Stay tuned—this Test is shaping up to be a classic.
Read More:
0 Comments