India took control of the second round after its spinners wreaked havoc in a dust bowl and swept England by 134 at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts finished the second day 54-1 for a 249-race overall lead on a deteriorating track.
Rohit Sharma, who broke 161 in the first inning, was hitting at 25 with Cheteshwar Pujara at seven at the other end. Earlier, Moeen Ali and Olly Stone split the last four Indian wickets as the hosts added 29 runs to their nightly score before going all for 329 in their first innings.
Rishabh Pant was left stranded at 58, not out, having hit three sixes in her 77-ball blitz.
When they returned, India unleashed their three-pronged spin attack as they looked to level the series at 1-1.
On a field where the ball was kicking up dust, England’s response got off to a sorry start when they lost four wickets before lunch.
Ishant Sharma caught Rory Burns lbw for a duck and Dom Sibley fell by 16 after India successfully reviewed a no-exclusion decision.
Newcomer Axar Patel dealt the biggest blow by firing Joe Root for six to claim his first proving ground. The England captain, whose ability against spin would have been crucial on this course, softened his sweeping shot by giving Ravichandran Ashwin a superior lead at short. thin leg.
The middle team of the touring team relented after the break. Ashwin claimed Ben Stokes’s all-important wicket, discarding the 18-year-old all-rounder. India didn’t feel the need to use the second Mohammed Siraj closer until the 39th was finished. In the attack, Siraj ended Ollie Pope’s promising 22 shot with his first delivery.
Ben Foakes, who played his first game of the four-round series, scored the all-time leading scorer with 42 unbeaten as England avoided the continuation but conceded a 195-run lead in the first inning. Ashwin posted numbers of 5-43 while Ishant and Patel claimed two wickets each.
.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.