India captain Virat Kohli celebrates with teammates after winning the second test against England. Photos: Reuters

India thump England to win second cricket test and grab series lead

Visitors collapse on fifth day to hand home side 246-run victory; Ravichandran Ashwin finishes with a match haul of eight wickets

Agence France-Presse

Published: 5:30pm, 21 Nov 2016

Why you can trust SCMP

Ravichandran Ashwin finished with a match haul of eight wickets as England collapsed on the fifth day of the second test to hand India a thumping 246-run win and a series lead on Monday in Visakhapatnam.

Chasing an unlikely 405 for victory, England were bowled out 20 minutes after lunch for 158 as India grabbed a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, after the first test was drawn.

The victory was India’s second biggest against England by runs, after they won by 279 runs at Leeds 30 years ago.

Captain Virat Kohli plays anchor as India draw first test with England

“We wanted to make sure we batted five sessions, get 450 plus, which is what we did, then the bowlers were always on top. Scoreboard pressure really counts,” said India skipper Virat Kohli, who was also man of the match.

“There wasn’t much happening in the wicket, but the batsmen succumbed.”

“We’ve been playing some really good cricket, we don’t want to be complacent but don’t want to be desperate, either. We respect England.

England's Joe Root (left) and captain Alastair Cook watch the match against India slip away.

England captain Alastair Cook said: “I think we saw the first day was easiest to bat, then you can see it became harder. It was a good toss to win, no doubt. From losing those five wickets on day two – you have to score first-innings runs – but from that moment we showed a lot of character and fight.

“We need to win a couple of games to get ourselves back in the series.”

Ashwin, the leading test wicket-taker this year, once again turned on the heat against the English batsmen who resumed their chase at 87 for two but lost their last eight wickets for just 71 runs.

India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha takes a catch to dismiss England's Ben Duckett.

The off-spinner, who picked up his 22nd five-wicket haul in the first innings, captured the first scalp of the day by having Ben Duckett caught behind for nought, ending the batsman’s brief, 16-ball stay at the crease.

Ashwin and debutant Jayant Yadav took three wickets each in England’s second innings, while fast bowler Mohammed Shami chipped in with two.

India off-spinner Jayant Yadav celebrates the key wicket of England's Ben Stokes.

England’s Moeen Ali did not last long after the batsman looped up a simple catch to fine leg off leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja for just two runs.

Off-spinner Yadav got the important wicket of Ben Stokes, top-scorer with 70 in England’s first innings, for six.

Root, who was dropped on one by captain Virat Kohli at leg slip off Ashwin, provided some resistance until fast bowler Mohammed Shami had him lbw for 25.

The hosts had reclaimed the advantage on the fourth day after Jadeja trapped England skipper Alastair Cook lbw for 54 on what turned out to be the last ball of the day.

England's Joe Root after being trapped lbw by India fast bowler Mohammed Shami.

After conceding a 200-run deficit in the first innings, England will take heart from their spirited bowling second time around.

Fast bowler Stuart Broad and leg-spinner Adil Rashid claimed four wickets each to dismiss India for 204.

For India, Kohli scored a sparkling 167 in the first innings followed by a gritty 81 in the second knock.

The action now shifts to Mohali for the third test starting on Saturday.

Post