Ind vs Eng, 1st Test: Root's Double Ton Help England Score 555/8 Against India (Day Report)

Skipper Joe Root scored his fifth double century -- the first by a batsman playing his 100th Test -- to lead England to 555 for eight wickets at stumps on the second day of the first Test against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday.

Brief scores: England 555/8 wkts in 180 overs (J Root 218, D Sibley 87, B Stokes 82, O Pope 34, I Sharma 2/52, J Bumrah 2/81, R Ashwin 1/132, S Nadeem 2/167)

Chennai Test: India vs England, Day 2 Report

Resuming the day at 263/3, Joe Root entered the ground alongside Ben Stokes, who took guard at the start of the second day's play after opener Dominic Sibley was dismissed in the last over of the first day. 

England did not lose a wicket in the first session as Root and Stokes added 92 in that session. The pair put on 124 for the fourth wicket on a pitch made for batting. Left-hander Stokes hit his 23rd Test half-century -- with 10 fours and three sixes -- before falling to Shahbaz Nadeem's left-arm spin. 

Root and Ollie Pope then got going to frustrate the Indian bowlers before Ravichandran Ashwin broke through. Ashwin trapped Pope lbw for 34 and Nadeem got Root's prized scalp with a delivery that straightened up to hit the batsman's pad.

The captain, who resumed on his overnight 128, hit a big six to pass 200 before departing in the final session in Chennai. Root, who expertly kept India's spinners at bay in his 377 ball marathon, extended his golden run that followed match-winning scores of 228 and 186 against Sri Lanka in Tests last month. He has now hit five Test double centuries.

Jos Buttler, playing his 50th Test, tried to take on the bowling with a few attacking shots but Ishant Sharma bowled him. Sharma struck again next ball to bowl Jofra Archer for nought as he reached 299 Test wickets in his 98th match.

Dom Bess, who was dropped on 19 as Rohit Sharma spilled an easy chance at mid-wicket off Washington Sundar, and Jack Leach, took the team to the close, adding 30 more runs.

The England skipper had on Thursday pointed out that his side would look to bat till the third day's morning and score 600-700 runs.