Chennai Test: Root’s record flattens India on a flat deck

The script for the second day of the Chennai Test played exactly as the first day as England continued to pile on runs on a flat deck. With a new batter in Ben Stokes joining overnight batsman Joe Root in the middle, India would have hoped for some respite which never came their way.

The first session went without England losing a wicket with both Stokes and Root manipulating the field with ease. By the time, Stokes fell trying to clear the fence, he had added 82 off 118 deliveries. However, skipper Joe Root at the other end seemed undeterred with whatever happened at the other end. Root became the first cricketer in the history of Test cricket to score a double hundred in his 100th Test. Root, who had a brilliant series in Sri Lanka last month, was trapped in front by Shahbaz Nadeem on 218 off 377 deliveries.

The last session of the day, though, saw India manage a few wickets reducing England on 555/8 at the end of day’s play.

All four Indian bowlers Ishant Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravichandran Ashwin ended with two wickets each, while Washington Sundar was wicket-less after having bowled 26 overs for 98 runs. How desperate India got in the middle was evidenced by the fact that they even tried out Rohit Sharma for a couple of overs.

On third day, it will be interesting to see when England declare. That they have taken their innings to third day is an indication enough that they don’t want to bat on this track again. India, though, will not be losing their hopes so early with their skipper having an impeccable record every time the opposition has scored more than 400-plus runs. In 12 innings that the opposition has scored 400-plus runs, Kohli averages 91.4 with five hundreds to his name.