Chennai: England were 119 for five in their second innings at tea on the fourth day of the first cricket test against India here on Monday.
With a cushion of 241 first innings lead, England now have an overall lead of 360 runs with five wickets in hand.
At the break Ollie Pope (18, 23 balls 1x4) and Jos Butler (14, 16 balls 1x6, 1x4) were at the crease.
For India Off spinner R Ashwin claimed three wickets, while Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah bagged a wicket each.
England did not enforce the follow and chose to bat for the second time and went for quick runs despite losing wickets at regular intervals.
Ashwin, who opened the bowling, got a wicket of the very first ball when Rory Burns (0) edged to Ajinkya Rahane in the slip, before he struck again getting rid of another opener Dom Sibley (16, 37 balls, 2x4), held by Pujara at leg slip.
First innings double centurion in 100th test, inform skipper Joe Root made his intentions clear and employed the sweep and reverse sweep to good effect on a wearing fourth day pitch as the ball bounced and turned and also kept low at times.
After Ishant Sharma claimed his 300th test wicket trapping Dan Lawrence (18, 47 balls 1x4) plumb infront, Ashwin got his third wicket, inducing an edge from Ben Stokes (7, 12 balls, 1x4), though Root at the other end looked in ominous form, scoring at a quick pace.
After scoring 40 in 32 balls with seven fours, Root fell, when Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery kept very low and trapped him in front, before Ollie Pope and big hitting Jos Butler, who struck a four and a six, came together.
England would be scoring a few more runs and come up with the declaration, as batting last on this wicket would be more challenging.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 257 for six, India were all out for 337 shortly before lunch, with left hander Washington Sundar scoring his second successive half century in his second test.
He was set for a well deserved maiden hundred, but ran out of partners. He eventually remained unbeaten on 85 (138 balls, 12x4, 2x6).
The overnight pair of Washington Sundar and Ashwin (31, 91 balls, 3x4, 1x6) extended their seventh wicket stand to 80 runs in 178 balls before the latter fell.
Ashwin played a forward defensive prod of left arm spinner Jack leach, the ball bounced more than he expected and took the edge and ballooned to wicket keeper Jos Butler who completed an easy catch.
While Washington Sundar took the attack to the rival camp, picking up boundaries and clobbering James Anderson and part time Joe Root for a six each, the English bowlers wrapped up the tail quickly.
For England, offie Dom Bess claimed four wickets, while Jofra Archer, James Anderson and Jack Leach bagged two wickets each.
Following is the scoreboard:
England (first innings): 578.
India (first innings): 337.
England (second innings):
Rory Burns c Rahane b Ashwin 0
Dom Sibley c Pujara b Ashwin 16
Dan Lawrence lbw Ishant Sharma 18
Joe Root lbw Jasprit Bumrah 40
Ben Stokes c Pant b Ashwin 7
Ollie Pope (batting) 18
Jos Butler (batting) 14
Extras: (NB-6) 6
Total: 119 for five in 27 overs.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-32, 3-58, 4-71, 5-101
Bowling:
R Ashwin 12-1-49-3
Shahabaz Nadeem 7-0-33-0
Ishant Sharma 5-1-17-1
Jasprit Bumrah 3-0-20-1 (UNI)
