IND vs ENG: India strikes after Ashwin century deflates England

Ashwin's stroke-filled hundred, coupled with a pristine half-century from Virat Kohli on day three set England a massive target of 482 in the second Test in Chennai.

Ravichandran Ashwin after notching up his fifth Test hundred.

Ravichandran Ashwin's stroke-filled hundred - his fifth in Tests - coupled with a pristine half-century from Virat Kohli on day three set England a massive target of 482 in the second Test here on Monday. In response, the visiting side was three down for 53, Axar Patel and Ashwin getting two and one wicket each.

Scorecard | Highlights

Ashwin's first century on his home ground came with a boundary to third-man and was celebrated fervently, the No. 8 driving his arms aloft and pulling off his helmet to soak in the applause from a boisterous crowd. He was eventually clean bowled for 106 as India folded for 286 in its second innings. This is also the third time Ashwin has taken a five-for and scored a century in the same Test.

Entertaining stand

Earlier, a 96 run seventh-wicket stand between Kohli and Ashwin had formed the cornerstone of India's batting. Kohli mixed solid defence with his  trademark flourish en route to a well-crafted fifty while Ashwin reached his half-century off 64 balls with a cracking four through point.

The going got easier after lunch against the softer ball as both batsmen showed positive footwork and good use of the crease.

Read:

 

Kohli was given out lbw off Moeen Ali, who got him out for the second time in this match. Kohli, not convinced by umpire Nitin Menon's decision, decided to review but ball-tracking upheld the on-field call.

England tried everything including Stuart Broad bowling his legcutters at 130 kmph with Foakes standing up to the stumps. However, Ashwin remained resolute. He had good fortune too, having been dropped twice on 28 and 56 and surviving a stumping chance on 70.

Ashwin's best shot of the day came off the last ball of the 71st over when Broad bowled a length ball and Ashwin stood tall to hit it straight past mid-on with the full face of the blade.

Foakes special

The first session very much belonged to the England spinners and wicketkeeper Foakes. India lost four wickets for just 43 runs in the first hour of play.

The slide began with the odd dismissal of Cheteshwar Pujara. India's No. 3 stepped out and defended Moeen Ali to the legside, but when trying to make his ground, his bat got stuck on the crease and fell to the turf. That gave Foakes enough time to whip the bails off with Pujara failing to get his foot over the line.

 

Minutes later, birthday boy Foakes was once again summoned to action as he gathered the ball a foot above the stumps and took the bails off with Rohit Sharma's toe still on the line. Jack Leach beat Rohit's bat with turn and bounce. Four overs later, Foakes got Rishabh Pant stumped off Leach.

And when Ajinkya Rahane and Axar Patel got out in quick succession, India was in a spot of bother at 106 for 6. But Ashwin and Kohli soon smothered hopes of an English challenge.