Ind vs Eng Test Series, 1st Test: Openers give a solid start to Indian innings in reply to England's mammoth 537

India vs England, Ist Test

Match Summary, Day 2

Openers Gautam Gambhir and Murali Vijay gave a solid start to the Indian innings as they scripted a partnership of 63 runs. 

Earlier Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow tormented Indian bowlers and took England's score to 537. 

The match has been highly disappointing for Indian bowlers, especially spinners who have failed to exploit home conditions to their advantage.

England's first innings total was their third-highest ever in this country, showing their batsmen were in total control against Indian spinners especially Ravichandran Ashwin, who conceded 167 runs in 46 overs taking only two wickets.

Amit Mishra fared no better, having being hit for 98 runs in 23.3 overs.

India still need 275 more runs to avoid following on, on a track showing increasing signs of wear and tear after its easy-paced nature on day one on Wednesday.

The hosts now trail the visitors by a massive 474 runs with all ten wickets in hand going into day three on Friday.

Both Indian openers faced testing spells of fast bowling and probing spin bowling to remain unbeaten.

Vijay faced 70 balls, striking four fours - three of which came in one over off Stuart Broad.

Gambhir, playing his second Test on the trot after his recall from hibernation, struck four fours in his 68-ball knock as they batted out the shortened last session of play.

Earlier, New Zealand-born England all rounder Ben Stokes became the third century maker in the visitors first innings after Joe Root and Moeen Ali.

England's total revolved mainly around Root's classical, foundation-laying 124 on day one, Ali’s attractive knock of 117 and an enterprising hundred by Stokes against a listless Indian bowling attack that was plundered for a whopping 139 runs in 30 overs in the pre-lunch period.

Only the 652 made in 1984-85 in Chennai and 559 for 8 declared at Kanpur in 1963-64 topped the total raised by England in Rajkot.

This was also the first instance after 2009 by Sri Lanka in Motera that three visiting team's players reached triple digit scores.

Stokes, who struck 2 sixes and 13 fours in his 235-ball knock, departed just before the scheduled tea interval and England lost their last wicket, that of  Zafar Ansari  for 32 during the extended second session to be all out after posting their third-best innings total in India.

Live Scorecard: India vs England, 1st Test, Day 2

Updates:

#Indian openers give a good start to their team and score 63/0 by the end of the second day.

# England score 537 as Amit Mishra took the last wicket of its innings.

# Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets whereas Yadav, Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed two wickets apiece.

#Ben stokes the other centurion loses his wicket to Umesh Yadav after compiling 128 runs.

#Mohammad Shami takes the prized wicket of Moeen Ali after he scores 117.

With PTI inputs