Joe Root anchors England on thrilling first day against India at Lord's

The former captain's composure was the cornerstone of England's fightback after early setbacks, leaving the match finely poised in a series level at 1-1.

England, opting to bat first under clear skies, stumbled early as debutant seamer Nitish Kumar Reddy struck twice in his opening over.

Ben Duckett (23) fell to a sharp, diving catch by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant down the leg side, and Zak Crawley (18) edged a gem of a delivery to Pant four balls later. At 44-2, England were wobbling against India's pace battery.

Root, however, stood firm. The 34-year-old, playing his 156th Test, anchored the innings with a measured 109-run stand alongside Ollie Pope (44).

Pope, reprieved on nought after Shubman Gill dropped a tough chance in the gully, played with trademark flair but fell to Ravindra Jadeja's left-arm spin immediately after tea, caught superbly by substitute Dhruv Jurel.

Harry Brook (11) followed, bowled by a pinpoint Jasprit Bumrah delivery that nipped back, as England slipped to 172-4.

Bumrah, returning after missing India's 336-run rout at Edgbaston, was typically miserly, conceding just 35 runs in 18 overs.

Yet Root, second only to Brook in the Test batting rankings, remained unflappable, reaching his fifty with a deft glance off Reddy.

England captain Ben Stokes, unbeaten on 39, joined Root to forge an unbroken 79-run partnership, though not without drama. Stokes survived a tight lbw shout and required physio attention for a possible groin issue.

Root, meanwhile, played with serene authority, his on-driven four off Reddy a highlight. A late swarm of flying ants disrupted play, and with Stokes stuck defending Akash Deep's final balls, Root was stranded on 99, one run shy of an eighth Lord's century.

Reddy's 2-46 and Bumrah's 1-35 led India's bowling, but Root's class ensured England ended the day with honours even. With four days remaining, this absorbing contest promises more twists.