The hosts of England and India struggled to score easily on the first day of the third Test match, managing to score just three runs per over. The game is being played at the storied Lord’s, and it started on Thursday, July 10.
Unlike the first two Test matches, England chose to bat first after winning the toss. They were quickly reduced to 44/2 after losing both of their openers, with Nitish Kumar Reddy taking two wickets up front.
After that, Ollie Pope and Joe Root formed a respectable alliance that let them resume their innings. Pope was dismissed for 44 by Ravindra Jadeja following a 109-run partnership for the third wicket. Shortly after, Harry Brook (11) was knocked out by Jasprit Bumrah.
Joe Root was also yet to reach a Test century but at the end of play was a mere 99 off 191 balls. In the meantime, captain Ben Stokes was not out on 39 runs on 102 balls and England managed to end the day as 251/4 on 83 overs.
1. Second Indian pacer to pick two wickets in his first over of a Test match (Post 2000)
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy became only the second Indian bowler to take two wickets in his first over of a Test match since 2000. Ben Duckett was out on the third ball of the 14th over when he came on to bowl for the first time on the first day. Zak Crawley was sent back on the sixth ball of the same over as a follow-up.
The only other Indian pacer to achieve so since 2000 is him, along with Irfan Pathan. When Irfan pulled up a hat-trick in his first over of a Test match against Pakistan in 2006, he accomplished the uncommon achievement. Javagal Srinath did so last before 2000, at Hamilton, against New Zealand in 1999.
2. Joint second-most 50-plus scores in Test cricket
Joe Root of England became the batter with the second-most 50-plus scores in Test cricket, joining an exclusive group. On the first day, he hit a boundary off the second ball of the 46th over to reach his 67th fifty in the format.
In the format, this is the 103rd score of 50 or above, which is tied for second place. Both former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis have 103 50-plus scores. With 119 scores of 50 or more, former hitter and legend Sachin Tendulkar now leads this category, with Root trailing him only.
3. First batter to score 3000 Test runs against India
Joe Root became the first hitter to reach the milestone of 3000 Test runs against India with his undefeated 99 on the first day. As of Thursday, July 10, 2025, Root has amassed 3054 runs versus India from 33 innings at an average of 58.73, with 10 hundreds and 13 fifties.
Ricky Ponting has the second-most runs in the format versus India, with 2555 from 29 matches. In the game’s longest format, no other batter has amassed more than 2500 runs against India.
4. Most catches as an Asian wicketkeeper in England in Tests
Team India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant accomplished an astonishing feat by becoming the Asian wicketkeeper with the most Test catches in England. On the first day, Pant made two catches behind the wickets. He broke the record with the second catch, which came from Zak Crawley in the 14th over. With the gloves in England, he has now made 40 catches in the format.
Kamran Akmal, the former wicketkeeper for Pakistan, who had previously held the record with 39 catches, was surpassed by Pant. With 36 catches, former Indian captain MS Dhoni is not far behind Kamran.
