India have a very healthy lead of 249 runs at stumps on day two of the second Test in Chennai after a lethargic batting display from England.
Despite taking two quick India wickets in the first session, the tourists were bowled out for an uninspiring 134 and only just managed to avoid the follow on.
Ben Foakes was the pick of the batters for England and he was left stranded as the only surviving man on 42 not out.
Ravichandran Ashwin was the standout bowler for the hosts, taking an impressive 5-43.
The day began with England looking to take the two wickets they needed to end the India innings and look to provide a competitive response.
Moeen Ali gave the tourists just the start they were looking for as, with just the second ball of the day, Axar Patel was caught out of his crease allowing Foakes to complete the stumping.
Two balls later Moeen was at it again as the new batsman Ishant Sharma was also on his way back to the pavilion. A questionable delivery from Moeen was followed up by a poor shot from Ishant allowing Rory Burns to make an easy catch.
However, with Rishabh Pant still at the crease England knew the job was far from over and Pant ensured this by racing to his half century from just 65 balls to put India 317-8.
Despite this, Olly Stone managed to take the two remaining wickets of Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammad Siraj to bowl India out for 329.
England’s innings got off to a disastrous start as once again Burns fell for another duck, this time to Ishant, with just the third ball of the innings.
Dan Lawrence, a man who was desperate for a big score having struggled, came to the crease to kick start his Test career.
However, things soon got even worse for England as Dom Sibley nicked behind to Ashwin for 16.
The Warwickshire man knew he was in trouble and, despite not initially being given out on field, walked off before the DRS check was complete.
The pressure was once again on captain Joe Root to get the runs for England, but then disaster struck as he clipped one straight to Ashwin – giving Axar his first Test wicket on his home debut.
If they weren’t already England were definitely in trouble now with their star batsman gone cheaply, India knew they were comfortably on top.
Lawrence then survived an lbw scare as the decision was sent upstairs by Virat Kohli after being given not out. Thankfully for the Essex man the decision stood, sparing his blushes.
Just when England thought they would be going in at lunch three wickets down, Lawrence edged to Shubman Gill in the slips with the final ball of the session to give Ashwin his second wicket.
At the lunch break the tourists were 39-4 and still a massive 290 runs behimd India.
They knew they faced an uphill battle for the rest of the Test and would require a massive partnership between Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope if they were to have any chance of posting a competitive total.
Stokes made 18 before being clean bowled by Ashwin, who England just couldn’t contain.
Foakes came in, England’s last real out and out batsman, and he offered brief resilience with Pope before the latter departed for 22. It was to an unbelievable catch by Pant, with Mohammed Siraj’s first home delivery in Test cricket.
Moeen made just six before clipping one straight down the throat of Ajinkya Rahane, giving Axar his second wicket.
Stone lasted just four deliveries before being dismissed to another superb delivery from Ashwin, leaving England 106-8 with the last ball before tea.
England were 223 behind India and still needed 23 runs to avoid to follow on, which was looking a major worry at this point.
Jack Leach and Foakes battled well to avoid the follow on, but just a few balls later another sublime piece of wicketkeeping from Pant saw Leach on his way for five.
Stuart Broad came in as the No 11, but lasted only six deliveries, failing to score as England were all out for 134.
A very uninspiring batting display saw the tourists 195 runs behind India and with an uphill battle to save the Test.
India came out for their second innings, and Leach made a quick breakthrough as Gill’s poor form with the bat continued as he departed for 14.
There was to be more controversy with the umpire though and with another DRS call.
A Rohit Sharma lbw decision was given not out but reviewed by England with the third umpire stating that a shot was offered – despite replays failing to find any evidence of a shot being played.
As a result, the ball impact was shown to have been pitching outside of leg stump and therefore the decision for not out stood.
Replays then showed had the DRS gone off the basis that no shot had been offered Rohit would have been out lbw, much to the fume of Root and England.
Rohit survived another scare late on in the day, as he was adjudged to have a slight part of his foot behind the line to avoid the stumping by Foakes.
India managed to get through to stumps without any further scares at 54-1, with a comprehensive lead of 249.
A day to forget for England, who will want to put this behind them and focus on trying to bowl India out for as few runs as possible.
In contrast, India will be delighted with their work – putting them in a position where they are unlikely to lose the Test.
With Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit at the crease they will hope they can build a strong partnership in a bid to gain an unassailable lead.
Day three coverage from Chennai resumes at 4am, live on Channel 4.
By Josh Mann
