Ashwin's 5th Test ton helps India gain complete control at Chepauk

CHENNAI: R Ashwin on Monday scored his fifth Test century as India tightened the noose around England in the second Test as they set England a target of 482 runs and then reduced them to 52 for three at stumps on the third day.

Ashwin scored 106 runs off 148 balls with the help of 14 fours and a six as India's second innings came to an end at 286 in the post-tea session. Mohammad Siraj remained unbeaten on 16, and added 49 runs for the final wicket with Ashwin who was the last wicket to fall.

India then knocked out openers Dom Sibley (3) and Rory Burns (25) as well as night-watchman Jack Leach (0) to set England back in chase of 482. England are still 430 runs adrift.

Ashwin's century followed a five-wicket haul in England's first innings, making him only the second cricketer to achieve the feat of a century and a fifer in the same game on three different occasions. Ian Botham of England had done it five times.

Earlier, resuming at 54/1 on the third day, India lost five wickets but added 102 runs to get their lead past 350 in the morning session. The hosts lost the wickets of CheteshwarPujara (7), Rohit Sharma (26), Rishabh Pant (8), AjinkyaRahane (10) and debutant Axar Patel (7) in quick succession to give a glimmer of hope to England.

However, skipper ViratKohli and Ashwin then shared a 96-run stand for the seventh wicket to put India in a commanding position.

Kohli, who showed his class on a Chepauk wicket that aided turn, was the first wicket to fall in the post-lunch session as he was dismissed by Moeen Ali at his individual score of 62. This was the fifth time that Ali had dismissed the India skipper in Test cricket.

KuldeepYadav (3) and Ishant Sharma (7) also shared eight and 27-run partnerships respectively with Ashwin to frustrate the England bowlers.

India had posted 329 runs in their first innings. The hosts then bowled out England for 134, securing a 195-run lead in first innings. IANS

SCOREBOARD

INDIA : 1st innings: 329

ENGLAND : 1st innings: 134

INDIA : 2nd innings:

Rohit Sharma stFoakes b Leach 26

Shubman Gill lbw b Leach 14

CheteshwarPujararun out (Foakes) 7

*ViratKohli lbw b Moeen 62

Rishabh Pant stFoakes b Leach 8

AjinkyaRahane c Pope bMoeen 10

Axar Patel lbw b Moeen 7

RavichandranAshwin b Stone 106

KuldeepYadav lbw b Moeen 3

Ishant Sharma c Stone b Leach 7

Mohammed Siraj not out 16

Extras: 20; Total: 286-10 (85.5)

FOW:Gill (42-1, 11.2), Pujara (55-2, 19), Sharma (55-3, 21.1), Pant (65-4, 25.3), Rahane (86-5, 30.3), Patel (110-6, 36.1), Kohli (202-7, 65.4), Yadav (210-8, 68), Sharma (237-9, 76.4), Ashwin (286-10, 85.5)

Bowling:

Olly Stone 6.5 1 21 1

Jack Leach 33 6 100 4

Moeen Ali 32 7 98 4

*Joe Root 4 0 15 0

Stuart Broad 9 3 25 0

Daniel Lawrence 1 0 7 0

ENGLAND : 2nd innings:

Rory Burns c Kohli b Ashwin 25

Dominic Sibley lbw b Axar 3

Daniel Lawrence not out 19

Jack Leach c Rohit b Axar 0

*Joe Root not out 2

Extras: 4; Total: 53-3 (19)

FOW:Sibley (17-1, 8.2), Burns (49-2, 16), Leach (50-3, 17)

Bowling:

Ishant Sharma 2 1 6 0

Axar Patel 9 3 15 2

R Ashwin 8 1 28 1

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