'Sloppy India handed England the advantage'

The India-England Test series commenced on Thursday. The first Test is the 100th between the two countries and the 2,000th in cricket annals.

Take a look at what the newspapers -- local and international -- had to say of the day's play at Lord's.

Sloppy India handed England the advantage: Hussain

Writing for the Daily Mail, former England captain, Nasser Hussain felt the world number ones did not show the "smart cricket" which propelled them to the top.

"This was a sloppy day for India -- and, so early in the series, a big one for England. When Mahendra Singh Dhoni won a very important toss, you wondered what lay in store for the hosts' batsmen under grey skies and against a swinging ball. To finish on 127 for two felt like a small triumph," said Hussain.

- Match report

"They (the Indian bowlers) just weren't full enough with the new ball, which should have been pitched up repeatedly to entice the drive.

"The India captain did not have his best day in charge, either. But he missed a couple of tricks in the field and didn't get a glove on a chance from Trott that flew between him and Rahul Dravid at first slip," he explained.

Hussain added that the Indians didn't come across too eager on the field.

Former India captain Ravi Shastri, writing for the Times of India, praised the bowling effort of the Indian seamers.

He also lauded Harbhajan Singh's showing, but lamented that India could have 'pitched the ball a little further up'.

Shastri credited the English batsman for their readiness to the challenge, giving Strauss and Cook their due, saying Strauss was willing to go through the test- by-fire from Zaheer.

He also seemed impresses by Cook's footwork, deeming it more precise than Strauss.

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He concluded by saying that England stood up to the test in the first session, and if they make the innings count it will hold them in good stead for the rest of the season.

Writing for The Telegraph, former England cricketer Derek Pringle categorised Jonathan Trott's innings as good, old-fashioned batting that held England together with 'virtues of grit and graft'.

He also said India's attack was a throwback, and though Zaheer has a renowned pedigree, he is not quick, while Praveen Kumar's dobbers recalled those Indian swingers of yesteryear, Madan Lal and Roger Binny.

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He went on to add that patience was demanded from both bat and ball, and while usually one fails, this time both held their nerve on a day that England shaded by virtue of being just two wickets down.

With the headline reading 'Early blow for India as Zaheer Khan injury lets England off hook' English daily, The Guardian focused on Zaheer Khan and how his absence due to injury impacted India's performance through the rest of the day.

Former Somerset cricketer Vic Marks panned India's bowling effort and said after Zaheer's injury and Praveen Kumar getting warned for running on to the pitch it seemed like India 'were fast running out of ammunition'.

He also wrote extensively about Trott's patient knock (58 off 104 balls), terming it 'self-effacing and unfussed'.

He went on to add that of England's batsmen Trott was the 'most secure and the most fluent'.