Chennai: 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 .
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.
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.