It was an entertaining day of test cricket at India vs England, 2nd test in Chennai as the hosts ended at 302/6 courtesy of a Rohit Sharma ton and contributions from Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant.
India won the toss and elected to bat first on a surface that looked set to crumble at first bite and the assessment was accurate with turn and bounce from the very beginning.
The hosts lost an early wicket with Shubhman Gill departing for no score, but from there on it was the Rohit Sharma show, with the experienced India batter looking at complete ease while his teammates struggled to make runs.
Rohit found company in Cheteshwar Pujara initially, but only for a while as India’s no.3 departed to the pavilion, yet again sent back by Jack Leach. What followed shocked not just the crowd and the spectators but Virat Kohli himself, who fell for zero, after succumbing to a well flighted off-spinner from Moeen Ali who cleaned up the furniture. India suddenly found themselves three wickets down for 86 – until Ajinkya Rahane walked in.
Rahane and Sharma built a 162 run partnership that took the hosts safely into the third session – while Rahane took a slightly withdrawn role, it was Rohit who acted as the aggressor, taking the attack to England’s bowling attack – he swept, cut and pulled bowlers all over Chepauk and scored runs at ease, only to fall for 161, his fourth highest score in test cricket.
It was a matter of loosing one after the other then on with Rahane and Ashwin also being dismissed later on with Joe Root chipping in with a wicket as well as India finished the day with Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel at the crease.
India will look to bat as long as possible on day 2, with two recognized batsman still at the crease, to pile on a total that could prove to be insurmountable on this surface. England, meanwhile, will be keen to run thoough India’s lower-middle-order and get themselves to bat at the earliest.