Joe Root's double hundred torments India in Chennai Test

Chennai:Skipper Joe Root smashed an unbeaten double century in his 100th test to put England in a dominant position at Tea on the second day of the first cricket test against India here today.

At the break England were 454 for four in 147 overs with Root unbeaten on 209 (353 balls, 19x4, 2x6) and Ollie Pope was batting on (24, 74 balls, 2x4). Root became the first player to score a double hundred in his 100th test.

These two have so far added 67 runs in 20.5 overs for the unbroken fifth.With hard hitting wicket keeper-batsman Jos Butler next to come, England were well on course for a big

total. It was yet another tiring session for the Indian bowlers though they managed to get rid off left hander Ben Stokes, who missed out a well deserved hundred after dominating the 124 fourth wicket stand with his skipper.

Stokes, who launched a calculated assault against the spinners, made 82 in 118 balls with ten fours and three sixers, before his slop sweep off left arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem was held by a juggling Cheteswara Pujara at long leg fence.

However, a disciplined Root continued to torment the Indian bowlers with an innings that was high on character, sound in technique and solid in defence.

Root, who held one end up, used the feet well against the spinners and rocked back to find the cover and point fence when they pitched short, and played the fast bowlers with a straight bat and soft hands.

Root brought up his fifth double hundred and first against India in style with a six off off-spinner

R Ashwin over long on.It is his third double hundred in the last four innings. He scored 226 against New Zealand at Hamilton and 228 against Sri Lanka at Galle, which was also interspersed with 186 in the same venue.

Earlier, Root, who batted deep and long, became the seventh player to score 150-plus runs in three successive tests and second player as captain after Don Bradman.

Following is the scoreboard :

England (first innings):

Rory Burns c Rishab Pant b R Ashwin 33

Dom Sibley lbw Jasprit Bumrah 87

Dan Lawrence lbw Jasprit Bumrah 0

Joe Root (batting) 209

Ben Stokes c Pujara b Shahbaz Nadeem 82

Ollie Pope (batting) 24

Extras : (LB-5, nb-14) 19

Total : 454 for four in 147 overs.

Fall of wickets : 1-63, 2-63, 3-263, 4-387.

Bowling :

Ishant Sharma 23-5-42-0

Jasprit Bumrah 27-4-66-1

R Ashwin 41-3-114-1

Shahbaz Nadeem 35-3-140-1

Washington Sundar 19-1-80-0

Rohit Sharma 2-0-7-0.

(UNI)