Day 1 at Lord’s didn’t quite fit the Bazball script. England batted… cautiously? Leaves, blocks, and even maidens—yes, it was that kind of day.

India, to their credit, brought the heat. And no one expected Nitish Kumar Reddy to be the spark. The young pacer stunned everyone with a first-over double strike, removing Duckett and Crawley and rattling England early. England looked wary after going four wickets down—but then Joe Root and Ben Stokes stepped in.

Root, steady as ever, dug deep and ended the day unbeaten on 99. Stokes, limping but determined, supported him well to stabilise the innings.

As Day 2 begins, things are wide open. If Root gets going, India could be chasing leather. But if the bowlers strike early, especially with the second new ball, momentum could swing again.

Bazball might have taken a nap, but expect it to wake up soon. Lord’s is set for another cracking day.