Ajinkya Rahane’s 103 rallies India at Lord’s against England

The Indian batsman's second hundred in seven Test match helps India to 290 for nine on first day of second Test.

Ajinkya Rahane struck 103 for India against England. Stu Forster / Getty Images

Ajinkya Rahane led India's fightback with a superb hundred after they collapsed on the first day of the second Test against England at Lord's yesterday.
India, after losing the toss and being sent in on a seaming pitch, were in dire straits at 145 for seven. But thanks to Rahane's 103 – his second century in just his seventh Test – and his eighth-wicket stand of 90 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India reached stumps on 290 for nine.
Rahane's achievement at the home of English cricket left him proud but humble.
"I'm really happy with this special 100 at Lord's," he told Sky Sports. "I just looked and saw my name on the board, it's a proud moment.
"I have to give credit to the top order, they batted well in a tough situation."
James Anderson put the looming possibility of a Test ban behind him with four wickets for 55 runs in 22 overs.
But England again failed to press home their advantage, with wicketkeeper Matt Prior enduring another torrid day behind the stumps as he dropped two catches and conceded 17 byes.
It was not as bad for England as seeing Kumar and Mohammed Shami put on 111 for the 10th wicket during last week's drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, but it was worrying all the same.
At stumps, Shami was 14 not out and Ishant Sharma 12 not out, and Rahane hoped they could inflict more misery on England in this morning's opening session.
"We had a great day," he said. "Tomorrow morning, maybe a quick 20 or 30 runs, it's another crucial day."
Ben Stokes, the England all-rounder, said: "We got ourselves in a brilliant position.
"The tail wagged a bit and credit to Rahane, he played a really good knock. You have to give some credit to Kumar as well, he seems to hang around.
"I thought we were unfortunate with the amount of play-and-misses and nicks through the slips. Hopefully we can come back and get this one and the lads can pile it on."
Anderson struck in the third over of the day when he had left-hander Shikhar Dhawan caught low down at third slip by Gary Ballance.
Anderson's 230th Test wicket in England surpassed the record of Fred Trueman.
Murali Vijay – who made a hundred at Trent Bridge – was dropped before he scored by a diving Prior off Stuart Broad.
But he fell for 24 when, aiming to play legside, the ball came off the leading edge and he was well caught in slips by Ballance off Liam Plunkett.
Then, off the last ball before lunch, Prior, who has struggled with Achilles and thigh injuries this season, dropped Virat Kohli off Moeen Ali.
Kohli added only five runs to his lunch score of 20 when Prior, diving to his right, held an edge off Anderson.
Ben Stokes's off-cutter then bowled Cheteshwar Pujara for 28.
Captain MS Dhoni fell for one as he edged a ball from Broad to Prior, before Ravindra Jadeja, who was booed heavily by the home crowd on his way to the crease for his part in the incident with Anderson, for which he has also been charged, was trapped leg before by Moeen Ali for three.
Stuart Binny, fresh from 78 on Test debut last week, was then leg before to Anderson for nine, before Bhuvneshwar again played more like a batsman than a tail-ender.
But two overs after England took the new ball he was bowled for 36 by a Broad delivery that kept low.
Rahane went to 89 by leg-glancing Anderson for four and next ball driving him straight back over his head for six, before a four though covers off the paceman saw him to a 151-ball century.
He was out soon afterwards, though, caught and bowled by Anderson, who took a return catch one handed .