England vs India, 3rd Test at Lord’s: Day 2 Live Score and Key Moments

By the time lunch rolled around on Day 2 at Lords, England had put 309 runs on the board for the loss of seven wickets. But numbers alone dont tell the full story. Between Joe Roots century, Bumrahs fiery spells, and a bold showing from substitute keeper Dhruv Jurel, this Test match is quietly turning into a battle of nerves.

Lets walk through the biggest shifts so far and what they really mean for both teams.

Roots Century Held England Together

Joe Root didnt just score a hundredhe held the innings by its spine. With the pitch not doing much and India bowling tight lines, Root had to be patient. His 104 from 199 balls wasnt flashy, but it was exactly what England needed. He didnt take unnecessary risks. He waited. He absorbed pressure. He kept rotating the strike.

When wickets fell at the other end, Root stayed calm. Thats experience. Thats someone who knows how to build an innings in tough conditions. And when Bumrah finally got him, it felt like a relief more than a breakthrough.

Bumrahs Spell Changed the Energy

Jasprit Bumrah started Day 2 with purpose. He came in with questions over how effective hed be on a surface offering little pace, and he answered them early. He bowled Harry Brook for 11. He returned later to dismiss Ben Stokes, then removed Rootthe big fish.

His numbers tell you part of the story: 4 wickets for 61 runs. But heres the thingBumrah brought back control when it was slipping away. His lengths were sharp. He made Englands middle order uncomfortable. In a Test where momentum shifts quietly, Bumrah made noise.

Pant Out, Jurel Steps Up

Rishabh Pants absence was a blow India didnt plan for. Injured while collecting a down-the-leg-side delivery on Day 1, he sat out Day 2 with visible pain in his left index finger. That opened the door for Dhruv Jurel.

This was a tough stage for a substitute. Lords. Swinging ball. High-stakes Test. But Jurel didnt look out of place. He took two sharp catchesone of them diving forward to dismiss Ollie Pope. He stayed sharp throughout the session. If nerves were there, he didnt show them.

The bigger question is whether Pant will be fit to bat. With two hundreds and a fifty already this series, India needs him in the middle. As of now, he hasnt been ruled out. But the way things look, hes not at 100%.

Englands Start Was Tentative

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett began cautiously. Crawley made 18. Duckett got to 23. Both looked to get a feel of the surface before trying anything ambitious. But neither lasted long. Nitish Reddy, on debut, took both catches behind the stumps off Pant.

England didnt collapse, but they also didnt dominate. They got stuck. Ollie Popes 44 was a grind. Stokes hung around for 44 too, but you could see the strain. Only Root looked in complete control.

This isnt Bazball territory. This was attritional cricket. And India managed to hold them down just enough.

Lower Order Trying to Stretch the Total

As things stand, Jamie Smith is unbeaten on 34. Hes shown a bit of intent, stepping out against spin, nudging the quicks. At the other end, Brydon Carse is hanging in there. Together, theyve pushed England past 300.

Jofra Archer and Shoaib Bashir are yet to bat. So this tail has some bite. India will want to wrap things up quickly, ideally before 340, to keep control of the game.

What India Did Well

Indias control was built on Bumrahs rhythm, but Ravindra Jadeja deserves a mention. He kept one end tight, gave nothing away, and took Popes wicket with classic flight-and-dip.

Also, credit to Indias fielding. Reddy and Jurel held onto sharp chances. The energy didnt drop. Despite missing Pant and shuffling the bowling rotations, India stayed focused.

Where England Might Regret

Roots hundred was gold. But England will know they left runs on the table. Pope, Stokes, Brookall three got starts. None converted. They allowed India back in when they shouldve pressed the accelerator.

A score of 309/7 isnt bad, but if this pitch flattens further, they might wish they had 50 more.

What Comes Next

This match is still open. If Englands tail adds 3040 runs more, theyll feel better. If India cleans them up quickly, theyll feel theyve won this phase.

Then comes the real testhow Indias batters respond. The top order needs to survive the new ball, especially with Archer likely to get early overs. Rohit, Gill, and Pujara need to set a platform.

The big question remains: Will Pant bat? And if yes, can he do it with full confidence?

Final Thoughts

Its been an even contest so far. England had Root. India had Bumrah. The pitch hasnt done much. The game is waiting for someone to take it.

Day 2 isnt done yet, and things could still swing. But whats clear is thisneither team is letting go easily.

Stay tuned to CricketBettingTips.org for sharp updates, insights, and the latest England vs India match prediction as this Test builds toward a defining phase.