After choosing to bat first on a flat Lord’s surface under warm skies, England endured a shaky start to their innings in the third Test. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley both fell in the first session, undone by India’s medium pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy, who struck twice in a sensational opening spell. Despite the early blows, England managed to reach 83/2 at lunch, thanks to a cautious effort from their middle order.
Following the break, Joe Root and Ollie Pope dug in to rebuild the innings. The duo adopted a measured approach, adding 70 runs in the next 24 overs without taking unnecessary risks. Root brought up a gritty half-century, anchoring the innings as Pope supported him with steady contributions.
Just when England seemed to be regaining control, they suffered a double blow after tea—Pope fell to Ravindra Jadeja on the very first ball of the session, and Harry Brook was bowled by a Jasprit Bumrah special shortly after.
England’s momentum took a hit, but captain Ben Stokes joined Root to stabilize the innings once more. Tensions, however, escalated in the 66th over during Mohammed Siraj’s spell. As Siraj was about to deliver the third ball, Root suddenly stepped away from the crease, pointing out that the spider cam had entered his line of sight. The interruption didn’t sit well with Siraj, who was visibly agitated.
Known for his fiery temperament, Siraj reacted sharply, pausing his run-up and appearing as though he might throw the ball in frustration. Though he ultimately held back, his body language made it clear that he was not pleased. Root attempted to defuse the situation, explaining his reason calmly, but Siraj walked back to his mark shaking his head and later gestured toward the spider cam operators, voicing his displeasure.
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The tense exchange quickly became a hot topic on social media. Fans took to Twitter, watching the drama unfold in real time, some sympathizing with Root’s concern, others backing Siraj’s reaction. In a match already packed with intensity, the incident added an extra layer of theatre, reminding everyone how high emotions run in the heat of a closely fought Test.