KL Rahul struck his sixth Test century to put India in a formidable position on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord’s.
He made 127 not out as India reached stumps on 276-3, putting his side in control of the game.
Between Rahul and Rohit Sharma, India provided a masterclass in how to open the innings against the swinging ball.
Under leaden skies and with drizzle in the air, Joe Root opted to invite India to bat first upon winning the toss.
England might have been shorn of the likes of Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer for this fixture, but they still have plenty of firepower with the ball.
As such, Root will have been expecting incision when James Anderson and Ollie Robinson took the new ball in such threatening conditions.
He was to be disappointed thanks to the vigilance of Rahul and Rohit.
At first, it was Rohit who made the running. The 34-year-old opener dominated the scoring in an alliance which was worth 126 in 43.4 overs.
He fell short of a first overseas Test century, though, when he was bowled for 83 by a delivery that nipped back from Anderson.
The fact Anderson was fit to play was a major boost for England. He had been a doubt because of a quad injury that had led England to call up Saqib Mahmood as cover.
He proved his worth again shortly after dismissing Rohit when he had Cheteshwar Pujara caught by Bairstow at slip for nine.
It was rare respite for England, though. Rahul took up where Rohit had left of as he raised his scoring rate, in partnership with his captain Virat Kohli.
Between them, they shared 117 for the third wicket, before England were belatedly afforded some cheer in the evening session.
Robinson had Kohli caught by Root at slip, after the India captain had reached 42 in 103 balls.
India made it through to the close with no further scares, though, with Rahul joined at the crease by Ajinkya Rahane.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Men’s singles
Group A: Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)
Women’s Singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)
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Oman beat UAE by five wickets
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
