An unfortunate incident dented the image of ‘Mecca of Cricket’ – Lord’s as India opener KL Rahul was hit by beer and champagne corks from a section of English crowd during the first session of Day 3 of the second Test match against England. The incident happened during 69th over of England’s innings when Rahul was fielding at the third man boundary. Several pictures started doing the rounds on social media in which bottle corks – a lot of them – was seen on the ground close to where Rahul was fielding.

India captain Virat Kohli, who was standing at the slips at that time, did not seem pleased with the shameful behaviour of the home crowd. Kohli, in fact, signalled Rahul to throw them back to the crowd. According to reports, the Indian players have complained to the umpires about the crowd’s behavior.

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Rahul, who opened the innings alongside Rohit Sharma after regular openers Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal were ruled out due to injury and concussion respectively, had scored a brilliant hundred (129) in the first innings of the Lord’s Test. Rahul’s knock and Rohit’s 84-run knock helped India post 364.

The 29-year-old Rahul had also scored 84 in the first innings of the first Test at Trent Bridge last week. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is, however, yet to confirm the incident.

Talking about the second Test, England captain Joe Root once again tormented a listless Indian bowling attack while Jonny Bairstow added to their woes as the hosts reached 216 for 3 at lunch on the third day.

Root, a nemesis of Indian bowlers since his international debut, was once again at his best as he attacked them from the start of the third day and found an able ally in Bairstow, who also scored runs at a fair clip.

The England captain, who is inching towards his 22nd Test hundred, is currently batting on 89 off 171 balls with nine boundaries to his credit.


On the other hand, Bairstow vindicated his coach Chris Silverwood’s decision to persist with him by getting his 22nd half-century, remaining undefeated on 51 off 91 balls. Bairstow has six boundaries to his credit.

The duo added 108 runs for the third wicket as Virat Kohli’s five-pronged attack failed to make a single breakthrough on a pitch that had already slowed down a touch and became easier for batting.

Save Jasprit Bumrah (0/34 in 15 overs), none of the Indian pacers looked like troubling the duo, who scored boundaries at will to release the pressure in the first hour itself.