Left-arm off-spinner Axar Patel justified his selection as a debutant for the India vs England second Test as the 27-year-old Gujarat all-rounder hunted down England's in-form batsman Joe Root as his maiden wicket in Chennai on Sunday.
Root, who scored just 6 runs off 12 balls, was caught at short fine leg by R Ashwin after Axar's looped delivery outside the off-stump saw Root's failed sweep attempt which took a top-edge of his bat. The ball bounced, hit the top edge, and was easily grabbed by Ashwin.
Earlier Ishant Sharma provided the perfect start to India as he trapped English opener Rory Burns lbw in the very first over of the innings.
Burns (0 run off 3 balls) could consider himself unlucky as the subsequent DRS call taken by the batsman revealed that the ball just clipped the stump while going down the leg stump; prompting third umpire to retain field umpire's call.
India on Sunday added 29 runs to their overnight score before they got bundled out for 329 in their first innings on Day Two.
Resuming at 300/6, India lost the wicket of Axar Patel very early in the day as was out stumped against off-spinner Moeen Ali and went back to the dressing room after scoring 5 off 14. Ishant Sharma, who came in next, also didn't stay long as he out for a duck against Ali after facing just two deliveries.
Kuldeep Yadav, playing his first match of the series, stayed for a while but was out caught behind against Olly Stone. He faced 15 balls but failed to score a run.
Mohammad Siraj scored a boundary of the first ball but was out on the second delivery he faced as the Indian innings came to an end in the 96th over. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant remained unbeaten on 58 for which he consumed 77 deliveries. Pant smashed seven fours and two maximums.
Earlier on Day One, Rohit Sharma had scored a brilliant 161 while Ajinkya Rahane contributed with 67 as India ended the day at 300/6.
Four Indian batters -- Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishant and Kuldeep -- were out for a duck during the course of the innings.
For England, Ali was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 4/128 in the 29 overs he bowled during the course of the Indian innings. Stone picked three wickets conceding 47 runs in his 15.5 overs. Jack Leach scalped two while skipper Joe Root picked one.
