England vs India, 2nd Test Day 3: Joe Root-Jonny Bairstow century stand frustrates tourists in morning session

London, Aug 14: England captain and batting mainstay Joe Root once again showed his class as he along with his Yorkshire teammate Jonny Bairstow stole the show in the morning session of day three of the second Test match against India.

At lunch break on day three, England reached 216/3 at lunch break and trailed India by 147 runs. Root remained unbeaten at 89* while Bairstow (51*) batted exceedingly well and put up a partnership of 108 runs for the fourth wicket. Both the batsmen scored their respective half-centuries and batted at ease on the pitch that looks conducive for batting.

The duo - who stitched their sixth-century stand in Test cricket - denied the Indian bowlers any success as they ended up adding 97 runs in the morning session.

While Root - who slammed a brilliant century in the second innings of the opening Test in Nottingham - looked at his best and neared yet another fine century, Bairstow too seemed at home as he notched up his eighth fifty-plus total at the home of cricket.

Bairstow who has been under a lot of pressure due to the disappointments in the past was at his best as no Indian bowler could trouble him enroute to his 22nd Test fifty. Bairstow has so far played 13 Tests at Lord's and scored 900-plus runs at an average of 47-plus. Bairstow last slammed a half-century in Tests exactly two years ago at the same venue.

Root, on the other hand, seems to own the year 2021 as the right-handed batsman has already scored four centuries, including two double tons, and scored 1110-plus runs. He's now marching towards another fine century at the iconic venue.

It was a forgettable session for the Indian bowlers as they failed to pick up any wickets. The pace quartet of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma tried their hands but remained wicketless. Captain Kohli also introduced spinner Ravindra Jadeja with hopes to break the partnership and also keep the over rate fine. Jadeja too failed to pick up any wickets but bowled beautifully.