Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Root defiant as India remain on top in second Test

Root defiant as India remain on top in second Test

ENGLAND captain Joe Root's latest rescue mission with the bat could not prevent India maintaining their grip on the second Test at Lord's on Friday (13).

The hosts were 119 for 3 at stumps on the second day, still 245 runs adrift of India's first-innings 364.


But amid yet another top-order collapse, star batsman Root was 48 not out.

Root had come in with England struggling at 23 for 2 after Mohammed Siraj took two wickets in successive deliveries - with the recalled Haseeb Hameed out for a golden duck.

Together with Rory Burns, Root repaired some of that damage in a third-wicket partnership of 85 before the left-handed opener was lbw to Mohammed Shami for 49.

The second ball after tea saw Dom Sibley, on 11, tamely chip Siraj to midwicket - a repeat of the struggling opener's careless first-innings dismissal during last week's rain-marred drawn first Test in Nottingham.

His exit brought in Hameed, playing his first Test since the last of his three previous caps, all in India five years ago. During the absence he suffered injuries and a loss of form that saw the now 24-year-old move from Lancashire to Nottinghamshire.

Hameed had replaced Zak Crawley, averaging just 11 in Tests this year.

But Hameed's long wait for a home debut Test innings ended, bowled first ball playing down the wrong line to Siraj.

England were 23 for 2 - the 15th time in their 19 Test innings this year they had lost their second wicket before reaching 50.

That left Root, the lone England batsman to pass fifty at Trent Bridge with scores of 64 and 109, facing an all-too familiar repair job.

Root blocked the hat-trick ball and when he square-cut Ishant Sharma for four to go to 14, surpassed Graham Gooch's tally of 8,900 Test runs to go second behind Alastair Cook (12,472) in England's all-time list.

That shot came during a flurry of four boundaries in six balls, with Burns hitting three fours in one Siraj over - an off-drive and two resounding pulls.

And even as batting became increasingly awkward under the floodlights, Root still eased Jasprit Bumrah through the covers for four with a defensive push.

Five-wicket Anderson

Earlier James Anderson took 5 for 64 as India were dismissed after resuming on their overnight 276 for 3 having lost the toss.

It was the 31st time in 164 matches that Anderson had taken five wickets in a Test innings and the seventh occasion at Lord's.

Anderson's haul came amid some sloppy England fielding with several catches dropped and run-out chances missed.

It was a particularly commendable return given the 39-year-old Anderson had come into this game nursing a thigh problem.

England were already without Stuart Broad after Anderson's longstanding new-ball partner had been ruled out of the rest of this five-Test series with a calf injury.

Anderson has 626 Test wickets, with only two retired spinners in Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and Australia's Shane Warne (708) having had more success in the format.

But it was Ollie Robinson who made the key breakthrough when, with just Friday's second ball, he had KL Rahul mistiming a drive to short cover for 129 after the opener had added just two runs to his overnight score.

It was the end of a more than six-and-a-half hour innings of 250 balls that included 12 fours and a six, with Rahul also sharing an excellent first-wicket stand of 126 with Rohit Sharma.

This innings followed Rahul's 84 in the first Test, where he was only selected after Mayank Agarwal was hit on the head batting in the nets at Trent Bridge.

(AFP)

More For You

UK Asian Film Festival 2025 Explores Themes of Longing & Belonging

The UK Asian Film Festival 2025 explores themes of love, identity, and belonging through South Asian cinema

gatty image

UK Asian Film Festival celebrates stories of longing and belonging in 27th edition

From May 1st to 11th, the UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF) returns for its 27th edition, bringing an interesting line-up of films and events to London, Leicester, and Coventry. This year’s theme, “Longing and Belonging,” explores the universal human search for connection, identity, and purpose through South Asian cinema.

As the longest-running South Asian film festival in the world, UKAFF has always championed female voices and challenged patriarchal norms. This year’s selection continues that mission, presenting stories of displacement, love, tradition, and resilience.

Keep ReadingShow less
ve-day-getty

VE Day 80 street parties, picnics and community get togethers are being encouraged to take place across the country as part of the Great British Food Festival. (Photo: Getty Images)

Public invited to attend VE Day 80 procession and flypast

THE 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day will be marked with a military procession in London on May 5.

The event will include over 1,300 members of the Armed Forces, youth groups, and uniformed services marching from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thudarum Review Round-Up: Mohanlal Delivers a Comeback Masterclass

A scene from Thudarum showcasing Mohanlal and Shobana’s mature on-screen chemistry in this slow-burn family thriller

Instagram/thudarummovie

'Thudarum' review round-up: Mohanlal returns to form in a dark, emotional ride that’s winning hearts

Director Tharun Moorthy’s Thudarum has drawn attention not just for its gripping storyline, but for bringing back the Mohanlal audiences have longed to see: an actor rooted in emotion rather than spectacle. With critics praising both the writing and performances, Thudarum has emerged as a memorable addition to Mohanlal’s long filmography, with reviewers calling it a return to form.

Across the board, reviewers highlight how the film presents Mohanlal as Shanmugham (nicknamed Benz), a humble taxi driver and former stuntman who now lives a quiet life in a Kerala village with his wife, played by Shobana, and two children. His prized possession is his old black Ambassador car, a gift from a mentor which becomes central to the plot when it’s unknowingly used, setting off a chain of devastating events.

Keep ReadingShow less
Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem

A day before the attack, Chopra had announced that top javelin throwers, including Paris Olympics champion Nadeem, had been invited to the event on May 24.

Neeraj Chopra rules out Arshad Nadeem’s presence at Bengaluru event

INDIA’s Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has said that Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem will not be attending the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru next month. His comments came after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

Chopra said the possibility of Nadeem’s presence was “completely out of the question” following the attack, which took place on Tuesday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Songs of the Bulbul

Songs of the Bulbul: A Captivating Fusion of Sufi Myth, Dance, and Music at Leicester’s Curve Theatre

Sufi myth, dance, music at Curve

This April, audiences in Leicester are invited to experience Songs of the Bulbul — a powerful new dance production by acclaimed choreographer Aakash Odedra. Staged at the Curve Theatre, this evocative performance blends classical dance with spiritual storytelling, music, and visual elegance.

Inspired by an ancient Sufi myth, Songs of the Bulbul brings to life the haunting tale of a bulbul (nightingale) held in captivity. The narrative draws deeply from mystic symbolism, exploring themes of longing, freedom, and the soul’s journey through confinement and release.

Keep ReadingShow less