Root hits double ton as England reach 555-8

Joe Root scored 218 to become the first player to hit a double century in his 100th Test as England stormed past 550 in the opening Test against India on Saturday.

The captain, who resumed on his overnight 128, hit a big six to pass 200 before departing in the final session in Chennai.

Indian bowlers came back with four wickets in the evening session to check England’s surge. The tourists ended the second day on 555 for eight. Dom Bess (28) and Jack Leach (6) were batting.

ALSO READ: Mehidy aims for history as Bangladesh pressure West Indies in Test

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.

His remarkable feat came after a quickfire 82 from Ben Stokes. The pair put on 124 for the fourth wicket on a pitch made for batting.

“Root’s in incredible form. To play like that in alien conditions is incredible,” Stokes said.

“It’s a bit frightening when you’re at the other end and he makes it look so easy,” he said of his captain.

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.

Root reviewed the call but replays showed the ball would have hit leg stump. India skipper Virat Kohli shook hands with his opposite number as he walked back to the pavilion.

Jos Buttler, playing his 50th Test, tried to take on the bowling with a few attacking shots but Sharma bowled him.

Sharma struck again next ball to bowl Jofra Archer for nought. Sharma reached 299 Test wickets in his 98th match.

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

Paceman Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwin and Nadeem have also claimed two wickets each after England elected to bat first on Friday.

England and India will play four Tests in the series.

Five Root double tons in 100 Tests

Here are Root’s five 200-plus scores since he made his debut in India in 2012:

June 2014 – At 23, Root scored his maiden double hundred at Lord’s against Sri Lanka in what was just his second year of Test cricket. Root’s unbeaten 200 of 298 balls was the foundation of England’s first innings 575-9 declared, but Sri Lanka managed to draw the game and win the series 1-0.

July 2016 – Root smashed his Test best of 254 against Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester. He stayed at the crease for 10 hours and 18 minutes, flaying the Pakistan bowling attack led by paceman Mohammad Amir. Coming in at number three, Root’s knock, laced with 24 fours, overshadowed a 105 by skipper Alastair Cook. Root scored an unbeaten 71 in the second innings as England went on to win by 330 runs to level the series.

November 2019 – Root was established as one of the world’s leading batsmen when he scored 226 – his first as captain – against New Zealand in Hamilton. The patient innings included two marathon stands of over 170 with Rory Burns and Ollie Pope paved the way for England’s 476 in a drawn game

January 2021 – It took 13 months after the New Zealand double ton for Root to get into three figures again. But the 228 — with 18 fours and a six — in the first of the two Tests against Sri Lanka in an empty stadium in Galle proved he was still to be reckoned with. England swept the series 2-0 with Root hitting 186 in the final match.

February 2021 – Root extended his golden run in the opening Test in India with a 218 that gave few chances to the frustrated opposition bowlers. The 30-year-old got to his 200 with a six off Ravichandran Ashwin to record his third double ton as captain. He finally departed in the final session with India skipper Virat Kohli shaking hands with his opposite number.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.