Chennai, Feb 6: England batsmen once again headlined the day as their captain Joe Root led from the front to help the tourists post 555 for 8 at the end of the play on day 2 of the opening Test against India at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday (February 6).
Root - who has been in phenomenal touch in the red-ball cricket in 2021 - continued his purple patch and slammed his fifth double century in Test cricket. The exceedingly talented right-handed Yorkshire batsman displayed yet another batting masterclass as he scored 218 off 377 balls before he was dismissed by Shahbaz Nadeem.
Having frustrated the Indian bowlers for his wicket on the opening day of the first Test, Root put forged another century stand with Ben Stokes and ensured his team post a massive total on the board. Stokes - who is making his comeback - once again showed his batting exploits as he scored a quickfire knock of 82. Along with Root, the southpaw stitched a partnership of 124-runs for the fourth wicket and played some brilliant shots in his knock.
India vs England 2021, 1st Test: Root and co aiming at first innings total of 600-700
Stokes was the first wicket the tourists lost on the second day when the all-rounder tried to slog sweep Shahbaz Nadeem for a maximum but failed to connect it and Cheteshwar Pujara took a juggling catch in the deep. Later, R Ashwin dismissed Ollie Pope (34) by trapping him in the front.
In the third session of the day's play, Ishant Sharma clean bowled dangerous-looking Jos Buttler for 30 which the batsman tried to leave. The senior India pacer rattled Jofra Archer's stumps on the very next delivery by dismissing the pacer for a first-ball duck.
By the time, umpires signalled the end of the day's play English batsmen had posted 555 on the board and batted for full 180 overs. India still have to pick up two wickets tomorrow and then begin their response with the bat for it seems highly unlikely that the tourists are going to declare overnight.
Here's how the match on Day 2 panned out:
Stumps Day 2! England reach 555/8 in 180 overs. Another dominating day with the bat for the tourists, although they've lost 5 wickets. But it was once again Joe Root's day as he slammed his 5th Test Double Century. Another frustrating day of play for Indian bowlers. Leach - 6* and Bess - 28* have added 30 runs for the ninth wicket.
Great days play for England !! Loved it .. Bat as long as you can in the 1st innings in #India .. 👍👍👍
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 6, 2021
550 comes up for England in the 179th over of their first innings. They still have 2 wickets in hand.
Jasprit Bumrah has been brought into the attack by captain Virat Kohli.
England reach 545/8 in 177 overs. Dom Bess - 24* & Jack Leach - 6* are present into the middle for tourists and they are also frustrating Indian bowlers.
Dropped! Rohit Sharma puts down a sitter at mid-wicket. Even Ben Stokes - sitting in the pavilion - couldn't believe his eyes to Rohit's blunder. Washington Sundar's agony to have not picked up a single wicket in the match.
Milestone Alert! Ishant Sharma has now picked up 100 Test wickets in India. He is only the 4th Indian pacer to do so after Kapil Dev (219), Javagal Srinath (108) and Zaheer Khan (104).
Clean Bowled!! Ishant Sharma strikes on the very next delivery as he cleans up Jofra Archer for a duck. Brilliant delivery from Ishant. This was his 299th victim in Test cricket. He's on a hat-trick. England - 525/8.
Wicket! You Miss, I hit!! Jos Buttler (30) has been clean bowled by Ishant Sharma. The pacer strikes in the very first over captain Kohli brought him back. England - 525/7.
Lucky! Indians pleaded for a caught behind off Jos Buttler but umpire Anil Chaudhary is not convinced. The UltraEdge showed there was a spike. This is the first bad decision from the on-field umpires. Washington Sundar the unlucky bowler.
Australia reach 495/6 in 163 overs. Jos Buttler and Dom Bess' partnership has been of 18 runs. England would like to reach near the 600-run mark in their first innings. The third new ball is available, but India skipper Kohli hasn't taken one for it will also allow England batsmen to score quickly and Buttler could prove to be a dangerous batsman.
Big Wicket! Shahbaz Nadeem traps Joe Root in front for 218 and the English captain goes upstairs to review it. Ball tracking confirms the umpire was right, DRS goes in vain. A marathon knock comes to an end. England - 477/6.
Jos Buttler is the new man-in.
Wicket, finally!! Ollie Pope (34) has been trapped in front by R Ashwin. 86-run partnership between him and Root ends. England - 473/5 in 152.2 overs.
Its tea time at Chepauk! England reach 454/4 in 147 overs. Joe Root - 209* & Ollie Pope - 24* are present into the middle. Another dominating session this has been for the tourists and Indian bowlers look frustrated.
450 up for England in 146 overs! 451/4. Root - 207* & Pope - 23*.
Joe Root has been remarkable!
Joe Root 20 Test centuries
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 6, 2021
50% of his 100+ scores are over 150 runs
25% of his 100+ scores are over 200 runs#IndvEng#IndvsEng#IndvsEng2021
Rohit Sharma has been brought into the attack.
200!!! JOE ROOT HAMMERS A MAXIMUM AND COMPLETES HIS DOUBLE TON! THIS IS HIS 5TH DOUBLE CENTURY OF TEST CAREER!!
JOE ROOT is the first England player to bring up his double century with a SIX in Test cricket. #INDvENG
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 6, 2021
400 up for England in 132nd over. The tourists have only lost 4 wickets in the process. Root and Ollie Pope are present into the middle and the tourists have six wickets in hand.
WICKET!!! BEN STOKES (84) slog sweeps Shahbaz Nadeem for a six but fails to connect it. Pujara takes juggling catch in the deep. The partnership has finally been broken and the Indians have got the first wicket of the day. England - 387/4
SIX!! Ben Stokes comes down the ground and dispatches the ball into the stands at long-on off Shahbaz Nadeem. He moves on to 72*.
Play resumes at Chepauk in the second session and 8 runs have come in the first two overs. 100-run stand between Root and Stokes also comes up. England - 363/3 in 121 overs.
England reach 355/3 in 119 overs at Lunch break. This has been another dominating session for the tourists as the duo put up an unbeaten 92-run-stand and didn't lose any wicket. Root - 156* (277 balls) and Stokes - 63* (98 balls) will resume batting in the second session.
England have lost just 1 wicket in 3 sessions since losing 2 before lunch y’day. Tells you something about the pitch but doesn’t undermine England’s batting a whit. Root’s been magnificent and Stokes toyed with the bowling. India paying the price for squandering some half chances
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 6, 2021
50 off 73 deliveries for Ben Stokes, he's completed the half-century in no time. Back-to-back boundaries from Stokes as he reverse sweeps his way to a fifty.
150 in most consecutive Tests: 4 Kumar Sangakkara 2007 3 Wolly Hammond 1928-29 3 Don Bradman 1937 3 Zaheer Abbas 1982-83 3 Mudassar Nazar 1983 3 Tom Latham 2018-2019 3 Joe Root 2021
Harsha Bhogle talks about the pitch at Chepauk.
Very interesting phase. The pitch has suggested there is an occasional deviousness to it. Stokes' reaction is to attack. Different kind of contest looming.....
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 6, 2021
150 up for Joe Root. He has now crossed 150 in three consecutive Tests. Most 150+ Test scores since 2010: Alastair Cook - 10 Virat Kohli - 10 Root - 10*
Dropped! Tough chance for Ashwin as he fails to hold on to the return catch off Stokes. It was firmly hit by the batsman and the bowler tried to put his right hand, but failed to grab it.
India have lost their two reviews in quick succession one against Stokes and the second against Root.
Not Out! Shahbaz Nadeem appeals for LBW against Joe Root (147), the umpire is not interested. Kohli goes upstairs but the ball tracking confirmed the ball was missing wickets. DRS lost! The hosts have lost two of their reviews.