Chennai: On a wicket which was increasingly assisting the spinners, England were reeling at 39 for four in 18 overs at lunch on the second day of the second cricket test match against India here on Sunday.
It was an action-packed session during which eight wickets fell on the second morning of which five were claimed by the spinners.
At the break, Ben Stokes was batting at eight after Dan Lawrence (9, 52 balls) fell off the last ball before lunch, with off-spinner R Ashwin picking up two wickets, while pacer Ishant Sharma got one wicket.
Debutant left armer Axar Patel, got his maiden wicket by removing last match double centurion and England captain Joe Root.
After bowling out India for 329, England started its reply on a bad not when left handed opener Rory Burns was trapped in front by Ishant Sharma of the third ball of the innings.
Ashwin, who shared the new ball with Ishant, got rid of Dom Simbley (16, 25 balls, 3x4), who was held by Indian captain Virat Kohli at leg slip. The umpire initially gave not out and Kohli's review showed the ball hit the bottom of the bat.
Then came the big wicket, when Axar patel prized out in form Root.
Root, who had successfully used the sweep shot effectively during his double century in the first test, once again chose to sweep a delivery from outside the off stump and the top edge was held by Ashwin at short square leg.
Root made six runs of 12 balls, before Lawrence fell of the last ball before lunch when he tried to sweep Ashwin and the edge was held by Shubman Gill at forward short leg.
Earlier, Left hander Rishab Pant hit an unbeaten half century (58 not out, 77b 7x4, 3x6), as India were bowled out for 329 runs.
Resuming at the overnight score of 300 for six, India's innings lasted only 7.5 overs today, losing four wickets for 29 runs.
The home team lost two wickets in the second over of the day bowled by offie Moeen Ali. First, overnight batsman and debutant Axar Patel was brilliantly stumped by Foakes and two balls later, Ishant Sharma was caught by Burns.
However, Pant, who is in good form, hit two fours and two sixers to reach his half century, his fifth, before pacer Olly Stone wrapped up the innings removing Kuldeep Yadav and Md Siraj in a space of five balls, leaving Pant stranded.
For England, Moeen Ali claimed four wickets, Stone picked up three wickets and left armer Jack Leach bagged two.
Following is the scoreboard:
India (first innings): 329
England (first innings):
Rory Burns lbw Ishant Sharma 0
Dom Simbley c Kohli b Ashwin 16
Dan Lawrence c Shubman Gill b Ashwin 9 (52 balls)
Joe Root c Ashwin b Axar Patel 6
Ben Stokes (batting) 8
Total: 39 for four in 18 overs.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-23, 4-39.
Bowling:
Ishant Sharma 4-1-15-1
R Ashwin 9-2-15-2
Axar Patel 5-1-9-1. (UNI)
