Root's Century Anchors England in Third Test

Joe Root scored a composed 104 at Lord's, achieving his 37th Test century and moving to fifth on the all-time list of Test centurions, as England finished Day 1 of the third Test against India at 251/4. Root and Ben Stokes (39*) anchored an unbeaten 79-run partnership, steering England to a strong position. Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy was India's standout bowler, dismissing both English openers in a single over, while India's main pace attack struggled early. England abandoned their aggressive 'Bazball' style for a patient, defensive approach, resulting in their slowest scoring day since the Bazball era began. Root also surpassed 3,000 Test runs against India, earning praise for his resilience after recent criticism. The series remains level at 1-1, with the match finely balanced.