3 things England need to do right to dominate Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test ft. Chris Woakes 

There was not much to separate England and India on Day 1 of the highly anticipated third Test at Lord's. A sluggish pitch, and some potent bowling by the visitors meant that Ben Stokes and co. had to turn back the clock, play some old-fashioned Test cricket to finish at 251-4 at Stumps.

With a well-settled Joe Root and still batting left to come, England will be pleased with their efforts, but not entirely satisfied yet. In their last three outings at Lord's, they have found themselves placed in a similar position in the first innings, but only once have they breached the 400-run mark. Against the West Indies in 2024, they collapsed from 244-4 to 371 all out, while against Australia in 2023, they endured a similar downfall from 222-4 to 325 all out.

Avoiding a similar collapse will be their primary agenda, but there are several other aspects that they need to execute well in order to have a firm grip over India in the Test.

On that note, let us take a look at three things England need to do right to dominate Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test.

#1 England need to up the ante with the bat

An anchoring Joe Root and a struggling Ben Stokes is not the ideal charge that England want to present on Day 2 amid their ambitions of posting a big first innings total. The defiant defensive version of Bazball worked to near-perfection on Day 1, but the hosts have to find ways of scoring runs, especially after warding off the new-ball challenge, if they wish to cross the ideal 400-run mark.

With an in-form Jamie Smith and batting depth to come into the picture, England realistically have the resources for that, especially if Joe Root carries his bat throughout the innings, or for the majority part of it. The unresolved element remains Ben Stokes, who looked scratchy enough as it is, before his injury, which complicates things in both departments for the team.

If the all-rounder continues to struggle, or even shows signs of not being at his best, Indian bowlers will make sure to keep him pinned at the crease. With one end effectively shut down, the pressure would be on Joe Root. The pair played out close to 30 overs on Day 1, but it is to be noted that it was largely against the old ball and a tired bowling unit, and things are bound to be harder on Day 2.

Amid this inevitable precarious scenario, England will have to find a way to keep the scoreboard ticking. More importantly, the task is on Root and Stokes to shield the likes of Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, and Jofra Archer against the new ball, which is in play.

#2 Chris Woakes holds the key with both ball and bat

As mentioned above, Chris Woakes will have a role to play, one which he can fulfill well, if it is against the old ball. His sole Test hundred came against the same opposition and the same venue, seven years ago, so he does not have to look too far to look for inspiration.

Interestingly, Woakes has a batting average of 42.50 at Lord's in eight Tests, which is the highest for a venue, where he has played more than two matches. Team India have a mixed record when it comes to wiping out tails, and the slow conditions at Lord's might not make it an easy task. Coupled with Woakes' innate ability to hang around, and stretch the total with the tail, makes him a key element for England.

Given that this is not a 500-600 run game, every run will be crucial, and the difference between a first innings total of 350 compared to that of 400, will be pretty significant. It has been a while since England have willingly set a target in Tests, and the last time they did, poor judgment in the first innings cost them the game.

Furthermore, assuming that, in all likelihood, India will be put into bat on Day 2, they will have the advantage of batting at the traditionally best time at Lord's. This makes England's job trickier as they have already seen how Indian seamers had to toil hard without much in return.

England have Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse's pace in their bowling arsenal, but what might prove to be the key here is Chris Woakes, and his skiddier bowling trajectory compared to the rest. It makes him the best candidate to nip the ball off the surface, and make the best use of the slope.

#3 Learn from what India did right and wrong on the field on Day 1

Although conditions may not be ideal whenever England get to bowl, given the sluggish pitch and the form of the Indian batters, they do have the luxury of having to watch India bowl first, and take notes.

England bowlers will not need much time to adjust to the slope and find the right length and angle, compared to the Indian bowlers, especially Akash Deep, who struggled for most part of the day.

With that being said, all of the series Brydon Carse has bowled with the brand new ball, but now he might have to settle for the first change following Jofra Archer's return. In this role, he has to ensure that the pressure from the first spell is kept on. The pacer has been hot and cold in the series so far, but the silver lining is that when he has looked good, he has been a constant threat. The spotlight will be on Archer, but there is room for Carse to make it count in a secondary role this time.

Also, having seen that the edges are not carrying, England have to station their slip cordon accordingly, another area where India struggled on Day 1. Another critical element would be the utilisation of Shoaib Bashir. A lot of it will have to do with Ben Stokes' availability with the ball. But, the off-spinner arguably has the best surface to operate in all of the series after some lacklustre outings in the first two Tests.