Root goes for 22 as England are reduced to 39 for four on day two

Burden now falls on shoulders of vice-captain Ben Stokes to rescue England’s first innings

Axar Patel of India celebrates the wicket of Joe Root (BCCI)

England are reeling at lunch after the loss of Joe Root saw them go in on 39 for four in response to India’s 329. 

The captain, who has registered scores of 218, 186 and 228 in the first innings of each of the last three Tests this year, was dismissed by debutant Axar Patel for just six. India went into the break on a high with the wicket of Dan Lawrence, poking to bat-pad for Ravichandran Ashwin’s second wicket of the morning.

After adding 29 to their overnight score, India set to work on a picking apart England’s top order with surgical precision on a pitch that made every delivery an event. Rory Burns was trapped in front by Ishant Sharma before Ashwin got off the mark with Dom Sibley before returning for the final over to make Lawrence the eighth batsman to fall in the session.

Patel, though, walked away with the prime cut. Root, looking to sweep from outside off stump, was undone by bounce that saw a top edge fly to Ashwin around the corner at fine leg. The noise from the surrounding fielders and those in the stands at the Chepauk Stadium said it all. 

Many felt India’s 300 for six at the end of day one was plenty. Nevertheless, Rishabh Pant, resumed on 33, was in charge of driving them to a stronger position in this match. But whatever plans he might have had to take the team to that number had to be rethought after the second over of the day. 

Within three deliveries, Axar Patel (5) and Ishant Sharma (0) had fallen to Moeen Ali (four for 128 ) for his third and fourth wicket of the innings. Ben Foakes, unlucky to miss out on the dismissal of Rohit Sharma on the first evening, was in the book with one when Moeen turned one past Patel’s edge with the left-hander clearly in front of the line when the bails were removed. Two deliveries later, a comical Ishant sweep to a full toss plopped in the air to Burns at midwicket. 

And so, Pant had to shift up gears quicker than expected. He struck Joe Root for six in the very next over, then took a brace of fours from Moeen full tosses, the first of which pierced the off-spinners hands on its way down to the boundary. A tough chance with Pant on 41 that would have made it 308 for nine, but a chance nonetheless. 

The single that followed to retain the strike moved him to 50 from 65 balls, a sixth half-century and second in the series after 91 in the first Test. Another six followed and, with that, Moeen was hooked from the attack. 

It proved an inspired move as his replacement, Olly Stone, wrapped up the innings to finish with three for 47. After roughing up Kuldeep Yadav with a short delivery, he squared up the left-hander to take his edge through to Foakes. After Mohammad Siraj gave himself room to carve over point for four, a quickly ball and a similar attempt gave Foakes his third dismissal. It capped off a fine start to the Surrey wicketkeeper’s sixth Test, with no byes contributing to a 329 that is now the highest score without a single extra conceded. 

That was where the joy ended for the tourists. Three balls into the first over, Burns played around  the first straight delivery from Ashwin. As England tried to weather the early storm, trying to quell any immediate threat, Sibley started to grow into his work. However, having made it to 16, a missed sweep popped up off his pad to catch the back of his bat as he followed-through with the shot. While close-in fielders appealed for the LBW, Virat Kohli at leg gully had the wits to follow the ball and take the catch. A DRS review make it 16 for two. 

Then came the real kicker with the demise for Root, the backbone and heart of England’s strong showings so far this winter. He contributed 54 per cent of England’s 421 and 344 in the series against Sri Lanka, and 34 per cent of last week’s 578. Now someone, somehow is going to have to do as he has done. 

The burden will likely fall on the shoulders of vice-captain Ben Stokes, England’s second-best player of spin. His eight off 16 has been scratchy but managed to survive a couple of scares, including a DRS review for a back-foot LBW six minutes before the break.

Lawrence was set to walk off an unbeaten man with Stokes only to defend a little too far out in front of him and offer up a simple catch to Shubman Gill in close. He’d grafted hard, taking 19 deliveries to get off the mark after arriving to the crease at nought for one. Alas, the 23-year old could not make it safely to lunch. Ollie Pope is the next batsman in.