The Indian cricket team has seized complete control of the second Test against England as the hosts have taken a 249 runs lead at stumps on Day 2.
At the close of play, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara were batting on 25 and 7 respectively, as India reached 54 for one in their second innings.
Virat Kohli’s men had bundled out England for a paltry 134, thereby taking a 195-run lead at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
For the hosts, Ravichandran Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief as he bagged his 29th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
What a spell from R Ashwin!
— ICC (@ICC) February 14, 2021
He claimed his 29th Test five-wicket haul – the joint-seventh in the all-time list with Glenn McGrath 👏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/7ja9lAqG2L
Earlier in the day, Rishabh Pant’s swashbuckling unbeaten fifty (58) guided India to 329 in their first essay. Team India only managed to add 29 runs to their overnight score of 300 for six on Day 2 as England off-spinner Moeen Ali 4/128 and pacer Olly Stone 3/47 restricted the Indian batting line-up.
Meanwhile, Twitterati hailed Ashwin and Pant as India dominated day 2 at Chepauk.
Ashwin deserves a stand/end in Chepauk before his retirement, the greatest ever cricketer from Tamil Nadu.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 14, 2021
What a brilliant performance by @ashwinravi99 👏 Well played , super proud of you! 🤗 #INDvENG
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) February 14, 2021
Complete dominance from India. They have just lost one wicket in 18 overs if batting. @ashwinravi99 is special but the other highlight of the day was @RishabhPant17 s keeping. One result possible and that’s an Indian win. How quick is the question.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) February 14, 2021
Since Ravi Ashwin's debut now no one has picked more fifer than him in Test Cricket. He also picked his 200th wicket of a left hander in Tests. Just unreal dominance by Ashwin.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 14, 2021
Undoubtedly @ashwinravi99 is the best spinner in the world!
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) February 14, 2021
29th time he took 5 wickets in an innings! Terrific!
Ashwin: what a thinker, what a bowler. A true champion of the game. #INDvENG
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) February 14, 2021
Rishabh Pant! 50 🔥 Love watching him play! You're always on the edge of your seat. So. Damn. Exciting. (And yes you know about the smile already). 🇮🇳🏴#INDvENG
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) February 14, 2021
Rishabh Pant has played 4 Tests in India and all the time he has scored 50+ in the first innings. Freak.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 14, 2021
Pant and Mo. I love watching these guys. Consider me entertained. #INDvENG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) February 14, 2021
Furthermore, Pant's commentary behind the stumps also kept the fans entertained on Day 2 of Chennai Test.
Pant's commentary is world class.
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) February 14, 2021
Fascinating how Pant goes from “angle bada takda hai tera baapu khelna hi padega isko” for Axar to “C’mon Ash keeping bowling there” to Ashwin 😂😂 #INDvENG #RishabhPant
— Rahul Ganjoo (@elegantlywasted) February 14, 2021
#Rishabh Pant is on fire again behind the stumps, can we please have a separate audio track for him?
— Anupam Gupta (@b50) February 14, 2021
Not sure which is harder for a batsman -- the bowler in front of him, or Pant behind him.
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) February 14, 2021
currently on commentary:
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) February 14, 2021
Butcher, Sivaramakrishnan, Agarkar & Pant #INDvENG
England had defeated the hosts by 227 runs in the first Test at the same venue to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter/BCCI
