Even though M. Vijay and Gautam Gambhir gave a bright start, raising 63 runs without being dislodged, India will proceed in this opening Test against England with its back to the wall.
It has been a peculiar first two days, comprising the first five sessions totalling a little over 10 hours, when the home team looked at all sorts of options from within the resources available to make an impact on the match that was snatched by wonderful knocks from Joe Root and Moeen Ali.
Having sent back four England batsmen to the pavilion on Wednesday, India lost the grip and it continued for two full sessions on the second day with Moeen making his fourth century (117) and Ben Stokes punishing the home team especially after Wriddhiman Saha put down two chances. Stokes scored his fourth century and the first against India as England was all out for 537 in its first innings.
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It was the first time in 55 years that three England batsmen embellished the scorecard with centuries each in Asia. The previous occasion was when opener Geoff Puller (119), Ken Barrington (172) and Ted Dexter (126 not out) put the Indian attack to the sword in the second innings in the Kanpur Test in 1961.
In the best batting conditions here, England executed its plans to near perfection against an Indian attack that had rarely been collared in the last 13 home Tests starting with the fourth match against Australia three-and-a-half years ago.
Stokes, who has been a terrific success at No. 6, showed a lot of patience for the team’s cause, the outcome of which was a century that came about after Saha dropped him twice at 61.
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England had kept the scoreboard moving on the first day when off-spinner R. Ashwin bore the brunt of attack sending down one-third of the 93 overs India had bowled.
The prospect of Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav manipulating the ball to reverse had delayed a decision to bring the second new ball into play, but Virat Kohli claimed it straightaway on resumption.
The shining new ball though only enabled Moeen to help himself with easy boundaries with Umesh not up to the mark with his line and length. Moeen worked him off his toes, slashed and executed a front-foot shot to pick up three fours.
Runs flowed with Stokes employing the horizontal pull shot against Shami. All action happened after Moeen had run a quick single to reach his century.
The 62-run stand for the fourth wicket ended with Shami sending Moeen’s off stump flying. It was a pleasant sight for the home team, but England kept India on the field even after tea break.
After Moeen’s dismissal, Bairstow took a heavy toll of Amit Mishra, but it was Stokes’s cautious shot-making that kept the Indians under a scorching sun till tea time. Stokes and Bairstow had a rollicking partnership of 99 runs.
Quite unmistakable was the England batsmen’s intention not to allow the Indian bowling come on top after the fall of the top-order batsmen. Even tail-ender Zafar Ansari held out for nearly two-and-a-half hours before falling a leg before victim to Mishra, a decision that was confirmed by the DRS.
The second day belonged to Stokes. He hung in for six minutes short of five hours, faced 235 balls, struck 13 fours and two 6s and most significantly was involved in partnerships with Moeen, Bairstow and Ansari that took England past the 500-run mark.
India would rue the chances it did not take in the first session on Wednesday and also on Thursday.