CHENNAI: There are days when you scramble your brain and wonder why Rohit Sharma averages just below 30 in away Tests. Thursday — the opening day of the second Test at Lord's — was one of those days.
In conditions that seemed tough for batting, tough enough for England skipper Joe Root to insert India in after winning the toss, Rohit produced an innings of the highest quality — combining moments of defiance with exquisite strokeplay. While Rohit scored 83, opening partner KL Rahul notched up his sixth Test century and ended the day on 127 not out to put India in complete command at 276/3 in 90 overs. India could have stamped their dominance even further had Virat Kohli not been dismissed for 42 late in the day.
In theory, the England bowlers should have been licking their lips considering the overcast skies that hovered over Lord's through much of the day. There wasn't as much grass cover as when India were shot out for 107 at the same venue in 2018, but there was still substantial help for the seam bowlers. Openers Rohit and Rahul exhibited excellent judgment outside the off-stump and played the ball late, thwarting whatever the England attack had to throw at them. Rahul was more cautious, even as Rohit produced firm punches and wristy flicks in between presenting a watertight defence.
Once Rohit reached his half-century, off 83 balls, he began expanding his range in trademark fashion. It is his natural game to attack, but he has been guilty recently of failing to carry on after doing all the hard work early on. Since returning at the Sydney Test in Australia in January, he has arguably looked the most technically sound of the Indian batsmen. But eight innings since then had yielded only one half-century. His approach on Thursday, though, didn't change. He continued taking risks, pulling Mark Wood – the fastest of England’s pacers – to the midwicket region and stepping out nonchalantly to hit Moeen Ali towards the long-on boundary. It seemed that Rohit was finally set for his first overseas Test century, but an in-ducker by the masterful James Anderson ended the 34-year-old's stay on 83. The ball found the gap between the Mumbaikar's bat and pad and dislodged the off-stump, robbing the opener of a chance to get on the revered Lord's honours board.
By then, though, a 126-run opening partnership had already been racked up to lay a solid foundation for the visitors. Such comfort isn't usual for the Indian middle-order. Consider the fact that this was India's first 100-run opening partnership outside Asia since January 2011.
While Rahul was largely untroubled, the scrutiny on Pujara’s place will intensify. He was out for just 9, wafting uncharacteristically at a ball well outside off-stump for Jonny Bairstow at third slip to snaffle. It was a clever bit of bowling from Anderson, going wide of the crease to draw Pujara into the stroke.