Root’s unbeaten 99 leads England to 251/4 on Day 1

Injured Rishabh Pant under medical supervision: BCCI
Seasoned batter Joe Root made a solid unbeaten 99 as England reached 251 for four at close on Day 1 of the third Test against India at Lord’s here on Thursday.
Root (99 batting) and skipper Ben Stokes (39 batting) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn.
India had success in the first and final sessions of the day as pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy, premier quick Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Ravindra Jadeja were among the wickets.
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is “under the supervision of medical team” after he walked off the field during the second session’s after suffering a blow to his left index finger, the BCCI said Thursday.
The Board said in a statement that Pant is being monitored by the medical team as he was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the wickets.
“Team India vice-captain Rishabh Pant got hit on his left index finger. He is receiving treatment at the moment and under the supervision of the medical team. Dhruv Jurel is currently keeping wickets in Rishabh’s absence,” the BCCI said.
Pant was replaced by Jurel, who is not in the playing XI for the third Test, after on-field treatment did not help the India vice-captain recuperate sufficiently.
Pant was grimacing in pain after putting in a dive to stop a delivery on his left, which Jasprit Bumrah had sprayed down the leg side in the 34th over of the innings during the second session.
Pant had managed to get his hands on the ball but could not stop it entirely as England batters Joe Root and Ollie Pope scampered for a couple.
The play was then held up for a while as Pant received treatment on his hand from the Indian support staff, but the wicketkeeper kept shrugging his hands when the action resumed. Eventually, Pant left the field after the end of Bumrah’s over with Jurel taking over the charge of wicketkeeping.
Brief Scores:
England: 251 for 4 in 83 overs (Joe Root batting 99, Ben Stokes batting 39, Ollie Pope 44; Nitish Kumar Reddy 2/46).

















