PHOTOS: India's top-5 players in 2nd England Test

New Delh, Nov 22: Team India decimated England by 246 runs in the second Test match at Visakhapatnam to take 1-0 lead.

Series schedule; Photos

The Virat Kohli-led squad outclassed Alastair Cook and Co after an unsatisfactory performance during first Test at Rajkot.

England, who were termed the underdogs before the start of the Test series, gave the No. 1 Test side a run for their run. The visitors performed better than hosts in the first match but the Indians made the necessary ammends in Vizag Test to comfortably win the second Test.

India performed as a unit in the second Test from the first day of the match. The hosts survived the initial hiccups and came back strongly under the leadership of skipper Virat Kohli.

Having showed some tenacity on fourth day to bat out 59.2 overs with 87/2, while chasing an improbable target of 405 runs, England were blown away on the fifth day morning and lost five wickets in 33.4 overs in the first session before India bowled them out for 158.

It took India 24 balls and 22 minutes passed lunch to cruise victory and take a 1-0 lead with more than a session to spare.

Here are the top 5 performers for India in the 2nd Test match at Vizag:

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, Team India's batting mainstay, aggregated 248 runs (167 and 81) in his 50th Test match to make it special. Kohli slammed an impressive 14th Test hundred in the first innings to lay foundation of a big first innings total for India.

Even in the second innings, the Test skipper made a gritty 81 to help hosts take a 400+ run lead in the second innings. Kohli seemed to be playing on a different pitch as wickets kept falling at the other end and English bowlers looked unplayable.

It was Kohli's 'batting masterclass' which brought the match into India's grasp. The skipper was adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant batting performance.

2. R Ashwin

Team India's front-line bowler and world no. 1 in Tests, finally came into his groove after things went haywire in the first Test. The off-spinner was under tremendous pressure after a forgettable performance at Rajkot.

He first produced career's 22nd five-wicket haul in the first innings to help India wind up England at 255 and take 200-run lead. The Tamil Nadu cricketer bagged 3 wickets as spinners accounted for 8 English wickets in the second innings.

The all-rounder made a crucial contribution with the bat in the first innings as well. He scored 58 to help India post a respectable total in the first innings.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara:

The right-handed batsman is having a phenomenal Test season. The Rajkot batsman smashed his 10 Test century and third in as many matches. Pujara made 119 and stitched another 200+ partnership with Virat Kohli as India reached 317/4 at the end of first day's play in the second Test.

The Kohli-Pujara pair put on 226 runs for the third wicket, that proved to be the key element of the day and wrested the initiative from England. Pujara also slammed his fifth Test hundred against England.

4. Jayant Yadav

The Haryana off-spinner made an impressive Test debut. The 26-year-old Jayant took 4 wickets in the match and contributed 62 runs (35 and 27 not out).

Jayant, who made his Test debut at the same venue where he played his first ODI match, was given preference over veteran Amit Mishra and he didn't disappoint the team management one bit. It was his sensible batting in both the innings which helped the hosts take a psychological advantange over England.

He came in for high praise from not only the captain but also TV commentators during the match.

"(The) biggest positive (in this match) is the way the fast bowlers (Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav) bowled. And Jayant Yadav. (He) picked 1 wicket in the first innings and 3 in the second. He was brilliant with the bat and showed great character. It's priceless those contributions," Kohli said.

5. Ravindra Jadeja:

He may not have got many wickets in the second Test, but the left-arm spinner's contribution with the ball couldn't be ignored.

Apart from sharing maximum burden of the bowling alongwith Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja got the most important wicket of well set Alastair Cook at the stoke of fourth day's play to help India end the 4th day's play at a positive note.

He grabbed 3 wickets in all but bowled 63 overs in the match, which was maximum from the side.

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