That's all for the day, folks. Join us tomorrow as India in all likelihood, will begin its first innings on Day 3.
Eight wickets. 19 no-balls and 4 dropped catches in two days - two testing days for India on the field as Joe Root' s record-breaking 218 guided England to 555. Root led the pack with an innings of terrific balance and composure. With Ben Stokes' whirlwhind 82 coming in as the perfect foil to Root's measured approach, India seemed out of the game for a major part of the second day.
A late surge from Ashwin and Nadeem helped India wade back into the game before Ishant Sharma's twin strikes of Buttler and Archer off successive deliveries kept the side in the hunt. Kohli's boys, however, failed to clean up the tail which has begun to create a quiet partnership at the fag end of the day. India's awry dynamics in the field with the dropped catches and inconsistent bowling eventually added onto the below par figures from the day.
England 555/8 after 180 overs: STUMPS. And Bess safely negotiates Bumrah's final over to call time on the second day. Bumrah's fails to knock in a special one and perhaps tried too hard in the quest to knock off Bess. England completes another fruitful outing as India's bowlers have a woeful day on the field.
Bumrah up for the final over of the day... Is there another special from the paceman?
England 550/8 after 179 overs: England reaches 550! This pair has clung with Bess slicing in the runs. Ashwin gets some serious turn and nearly has Leach strangled on the crease.
England 549/8 after 178 overs: Bumrah fails to sneak in that trademark yorker, something like what Sibley copped yesterday evening. Bess and Leach have irritably stayed long to add to Kohli's frustrations. Ashwin returns with the ball as two overs remain for the day.
Bumrah back into the attack.
England 537/8 after 175 overs: Dropped! Oh, my. What have you done, Rohit? Sundar draws Bess front to drag the ball at Rohit at short mid-wicket who makes a mess of a dolly. Rohit goes for the reverse-cup approach for a simple chest high catch and pushes it down in a snap! Ben Stokes has a smirk and rolls his eyes in surprise in the dugout while skipper Kohli is not a happy man.
England 531/8 after 173 overs: The last thing that India would want is the English tail wagging at it now. Bess is off to a start and Leach as one knows can be a stubborn bat at one end.
England 528/8 after 170 overs: Twin strikes for Ishant Sharma! Ishant removes Jos Buttler and the new man Archer of successive deliveries! Works magic with the old ball. Absolute rippers that tail in just that much to clip the off-stump. Buttler misjudges the leave as the ball rattles the stumps. Similar deliveries to both batsman and India is on the verge of knocking the host out before stump. No. 299 for Ishant! Jos Buttler b I Sharma 30 (51b 5x4 0x6), Jofra Archer b I Sharma 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)
Ishant back into the attack. Still no signs of the new ball.
England 521/6 after 168 overs: Buttler and Bess keep the runs flowing. This is frustrating for Kohli's boys and the skipper has opted to operate with the scuffed ball while the new ball is available since the 162nd over.
England 501/6 after 165 overs: Loud appeal for a caught behind for Buttler! Sundar and Pant pleads to the umpire who stays rooted to his decision. There is faint edge on that one, unlucky for the Indians as they have no review left. Buttler rubs salt to the wound with a crisp cover drive for four off the next ball.
This is the first time a side has played 160 overs against India under Kohli's captaincy.
England 485/6 after 160 overs: The close-in field on the leg side has come alive with the ball turning just that bit. Dom Bess nearly pops one to Gill at short leg.
England 482/6 after 157 overs: Signs of turn for Ashwin. Buttler is pushed back to his crease and forced to react late as the offie has the ball to turn and grip ever so slightly.
England 477/6 after 154 overs: OUT! Nadeem to Root, appeal for lbw. The umpire has given it. Root goes for the review in anticipation that he has a bit of wood on it but the review shows and three reds. A fantastic innings comes to end and India finally has some rewards for all the dogged work. Joe Root lbw b Nadeem 218 (377b 19x4 2x6) SR: 57.82
England 473/5 after 153 overs: OUT! Ashwin has Pope strangled in the crease. No assist from the pitch yet but Ashwin has cut Pope's defense in half with a ball that straightens after pitching in middle. India has sent half the English side back to the den and will be eyeing to sneak in a few more before stumps. Ashwin nearly has Buttler! He loops one in to lure Buttler to work it to the on-side. Buttler fails to keep it low and Shubman Gill dives towards the ball but falls short by a whisker. Ollie Pope lbw b Ashwin 34 (89b 3x4 0x6) SR: 38.2
England 469/4 after 151 overs: A bit of a light-hearted moment for the Indians there! Ashwin bowls a full delivery to Pope who miscues the sweep and lobs it straight over Pant who runs forward as the ball runs towards third man!
England 458/4 after 148 overs: Bumrah attacks the stumps but Root is as solid as ever. The visuals on the ball seem to say that the seam has worn out completely!
No ball no. 15 - About time that we run a separate tally.
Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack.
We are back for the final session of Day 2.
England 454/4 after 147 overs: TEA! Root gets to tea on Day 2 and has well affirmed England's position on top of this Test. India has struggled to make inroads as much as it would have looked and the bowlers have begun to bog down after some hefty load. The session brought 99 runs with the sole wicket of Stokes lost. Pope has worked his way through after a troubled start.
Session summaries ft. Wasim Jaffer
England 449/4 after 145 overs: First obvious signs of fatigue gripping the Indian bowlers as Kohli haplessly tosses the ball to Rohit to cool off the others.
The Hitman is up with the ball now..
England 440/4 after 143 overs: DOUBLE HUNDRED FOR JOE ROOT!! And he notches it up in style with a biggie down the ground off Ashwin. Fifth double hundred for the England captain and the second in his last three matches. Phenomenal run of form and fair to say that he has done well to quell India's complacency at home.
The first batsman to hit 200 in his 100th Test!
England 424/4 after 140 overs: Root enters the 190s! He has not flinched for one moment and has rotated the strike with Pope freely. Ashwin and Sundar continue to keep it straight in line with stumps but to no avail. Root's 190* is now the highest by a batsman in his 100th Test. India, meanwhile has lost all three of its reviews in an act of desperation.
Three 180-plus scores for Root within the last 25 days. Making up for all those lost tons.
England 410/4 after 137 overs: There is no change of plans from Root. The skipper is happy to bide time as Ashwin and Sundar follow a more straighter line to the right-handed pair. Incidentally, Ashwin has also bowled the first no-ball of his career!
England 400/4 after 132 overs: England crosses 400!
The Indian bowlers are worn out as Joe Root continues to dominate over every challenge from each of the five bowlers. Oh, and a double ton is in the offing too for the skip!
Hmm....
England 395/4 after 130 overs: New man Ollie Pope has looked vulnerable at the crease. India senses a wicket while the pacers Ishant and Bumrah have tried to pepper Root with bouncers in their latest ploy.
England 387/4 after 127 overs: OUT! Nadeem provides the breakthrough! The left-armer comes around the wicket to Stokes who tries the slog sweep but fails to get over the bounce and hits a skier towards long leg. Pujara settles under the ball and wobbles it twice before holding on to it. India finds some respite as Stokes looked ominous in his bid to attack even further. Ben Stokes c Pujara b Nadeem 82 (118b 10x4 3x6) SR: 69.49
England 378/3 after 124 overs: Kohli turns to Bumrah once again who tries a slew of tricks against Ben Stokes. Bumrah's slow yorker turns out too full for Stokes who bashes it through mid-wicket for four.
England 363/3 after 121 overs: 100-run partnership between Root and Stokes! A fantastic buildup since the morning by the pair. Stokes has eased the pressure on Root with his aggressive strokeplay against the spinners. Indian bowlers have no clue as to quell the impending danger of a mammoth total.
England 357/3 after 120 overs: Ishant attacks the stumps first up and Root seems to be a bit iffy after the break.
Ishant up with the ball.
India is desperate for wickets as Root and Stokes plan to take the game away entirely from the host. Stokes, in particular, has plundered the spinners and the runs have come in quick time. Can India find a moment of magic to regain control in this session? Action resumes as the players walk out to the field.
England 355/3 after 119 overs: LUNCH - A magnificent session for the visitor with Joe Root and Ben Stokes adding 92 runs to the total in the session. India's woes continue as the bowlers have received little assistance from the pitch. We will be back shortly.
Jaffer sums it up for the Indians!
England 340/3 after 116 overs: Bumrah continues the yorker barrage but Root and Stokes manage to fight on! Kohli stands in utter disbelief as to how Root managed to bring his bat down to save his wicket for a Boom special!
Jasprit Bumrah replaces R Ashwin.
England 336/3 after 113 overs: And Stokes storms to his 50! Nadeem misses the rough patch and Stokes comfortably employs the reverse-sweep off successive deliveries to hit two boundaries. The left-hander has reached the milestone in quick time of 76 balls.
England 326/3 after 111 overs: Root crosses 150! Third 150+ score in three matches and he is well poised for another double here! Stokes finishes the over with a mammoth slog sweep for six! He realises the threat of Nadeem continuing to attack the rough patch for turn. Stokes moves to his right and swivels the ball in style over the fence.
England 314/3 after 109 overs: India has lost two reviews in two overs.
Signs of desperation from Kohli as he wastes two challenges on vague appeals. Nadeem has finally put Stokes on the spot as he gets surprising bounce from the rough outside off.Stokes is taken aback as the ball quickly climbs onto him. A few chances are brewing for India here.
England 312/3 after 107 overs: Nadeem has bowled well in this spell as he has managed to get on top of Stokes and Root for a while. Ashwin, on the hand, has received no purchase from the pitch so far. England has moved into a lull with the scoring lately.
England 303/3 after 104 overs: And Stokes rockets England past 300 with two crunching boundaries. Ishant brings the ball into the left-hander who swivels through mid-wicket before a sizzling cut races past the point fielder for another boundary!
Stokes took on Shahbaz Nadeem who bowled into the rough with two reverse-sweeps to avert the danger. It also appears like Nadeem has crossed a certain line. Seems like he has applied saliva on the ball for a couple of times during that over.
England 290/3 after 101 overs: Stokes is on the prowl against Ashwin. An audacious slog sweep to the boundary has unsettled Ashwin's rhythm once again.
England 280/3 after 98 overs: Three maiden overs on the trot. Ishant receives a hint of late swing that troubles Joe Root for a brief moment. Ishant hits the pads but the ball slides down the leg-stump by a bare margin.
Ishant Sharma into the attack.
England 280/3 after 95 overs: Stokes takes on Ashwin! He measures Ashwin who has received no turn whatsoever before sending a stunning six to stands down the ground. England makes its priorities clear early on in the day.
England 269/3 after 92 overs: Bumrah nearly nails Stokes! A cracking yorker sears in to Stokes who manages to bring down the bat at the right moment. Bumrah and Kohli are in disbelief. Stokes has also managed to get off the mark with a boundary guided through the gap between the slips to third man.
England 264/3 after 91 overs: Ashwin takes the ball from the other end as Kohli brings the offie in to target Stokes. Stokes will have it in mind that Ashwin has dimissed him seven times - the most by any bowler.
England 263/3 after 90 overs: A hint of swing for Bumrah as Stokes stays behind the line of the ball and defends comfortably to see off the three deliveries.
Right, so England skipper Joe Root and Ben Stokes walk down to the crease! Bumrah runs in to complete his over.
The Indian huddle seems visibly serious as Virat Kohli leads the proceedings with a chat.
All set for Day 2!
Under an hour for action to resume at Chepauk!
Numbers Game from Day 1
Bumrah scripts a record before the first ball!
Phenomenal Root continues Asian run-fest
Preview
After a gruelling day 1 of Test cricket back at home, India gears up to knock off England who is perched atop after a dominating performance yesterday. Skipper Joe Root's masterclass against the Indian spinners paced up the England innings after a relatively slow start from the openers, Dom Sibley and Rory Burns.
While Sibley remained grounded at one end, Root pierced the gaps with precision as India's second-cast bowlers, Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar were taken apart with the pair conceding 124 runs from 32 overs between them.
The Indians struggled with a relatively scuffed up ball that remained silent halfway through the first day. A mammoth 200-run partnership between Sibley and Root was, however, broken by a peach of a delivery from India's spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final over of the first day to lend the host a breather before action resumes on Day 2.
What they said
“He has some good innings behind him (228 and 186 against Sri Lanka in his last two games). He was sweeping and reverse-sweeping as well. I have noticed that while playing the spinners, he was staying low and trying to read the trajectory very quickly. He played a good innings. Full credit to him,” Jasprit Bumrah on Joe Root's 20th Test ton on Day 1.
"We've got to look to try and get as many as we can - 600, 700 if we can, really try and make the most of the first innings while it's good," Root said. "Those footholes are starting to wear quite quickly. So, if we can bat the whole of tomorrow and maybe into day three, then things could speed up quite quickly for us and you never know what can happen from that point onwards." Joe Root on England's target for the first innings.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England XI: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Dan Lawrence, Joe Root (c) , Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, James Anderson
India XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c) , Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk) , R Ashwin, W Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem
Toss: England won the Toss and opted to bat first
Comments
SHARE