England slump to 39-4 after India put on 329 in 2nd Test

CHENNAI: England crashed to 39 for four at lunch in reply to India's 329 on day two of the second Test in Chennai on Sunday.

Ravichandran Ashwin claimed two wickets, including Dan Lawrence for nine at the stroke of lunch, on a turning pitch. Ben Stokes was batting on eight with England trailing by 290 runs.

Pace bowler Ishant Sharma trapped Burns leg before with the third ball of the innings to bring alive the crowd -- the first time fans have been back in an Indian stadium in more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But it was left-arm spinner Axar Patel dismissing England captain Joe Root for his maiden Test wicket that raised the roof.

Coming into his 101st Test with scores of 228, 186 and 218 in his previous three matches, Root mistimed a sweep and was caught at short fine leg.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant hit an unbeaten 58 before India's innings ended in the first hour of play. They had resumed on 300-6.

Spinner Moeen Ali claimed four wickets, including two in his first over of the morning session. Fast bowler Olly Stone took three.

The left-handed Pant moved from his overnight 33 to pass his sixth Test fifty, hitting two fours and two big sixes.

Opener Rohit Sharma top-scored with 161 after India, who trail the four-Test series 1-0, elected to bat on Saturday.