England continued their domination over India and stretched their innings to 355 for 3 to be in the driver's seat lunch on the second day of the opening Test of the four-match series. England resumed their innings at 263 for three and added 92 runs in the first session.
Playing his milestone 100th match, captain Joe Root continued from where he left on Friday and added 28 runs to his overnight score to remain undefeated on 156. Root, unbeaten on 156, and his deputy Ben Stokes (63) stitched an unbeaten 92-run stand for the fourth wicket on a placid Chepauk pitch as the Indian bowlers toiled hard in the morning session but returned wicketless.
Joe Root remained on course for a second double hundred in three matches as he and deputy Ben Stokes powered the tourists to a commanding 355-3 at lunch. Root, who scored a double hundred and a big century in his previous two tests in Sri Lanka, was batting on 156 at the break in his 100th test. Stokes, playing his first test since August, dominated his 92-run partnership with Root and was on 63 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Resuming the day on 263-3, Root looked typically solid against an Indian attack which could only manage a couple of half-hearted lbw appeals against him.
Stokes, test cricket's top all-rounder, sought to impose himself on India's tired-looking attack and gave an early indication of his mindset by hitting off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin over his head for a six. He also frequently opted for the sweep shot to negate whatever turn the pitch offered. India's desperation showed when they opted for back-to-back reviews, both in vain, after lbw appeals against Stokes and Root had been turned down. The closest they came to claiming a wicket was when Ashwin dropped a return catch from Stokes, then on 31. In the next over, Stokes' slog-sweep brushed a diving Cheteshwar Pujara's fingers at midwicket.
