Clinical England thrash India to go 1-0 up in series

Chennai, Feb 09: Joe Root could hardly have scripted his 100th Test any better after the England captain led his team to a 227-run victory over India on Tuesday before being named Man of the Match at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.
James Anderson displayed his reverse-swing mastery with a three-wicket burst in the morning session to effectively snuff out India’s hopes of a draw while left-arm spinner Leach (4-76) then ran through the lower.
The hosts, who had been set a daunting 420-run victory target, got a fighting 72 from captain Virat Kohli while opener Shubman Gill scored an elegant 50 but they were bowled out for 192 in the second session of the final day. The tourists lead the four-match series 1-0, with the second Test set to start on Saturday, again in Chennai. Earlier on Tuesday, Leach had given England the perfect start by removing Cheteshwar Pujara after the hosts had resumed on 39-1. Pujara, whose dour batting could have helped India bat out the final day and secure a draw, made 15. The flamboyant Gill brought up his third fifty in only his fourth Test before Anderson struck twice in four balls. The 38-year-old breached Gill’s defence to dismiss him with a hint of reverse swing.
Next man in Ajinkya Rahane survived a strong lbw appeal but it did not matter as Anderson’s next delivery sent his off-stump cartwheeling away.
The dangerous Rishabh Pant became Anderson’s third victim, offering a leading edge to Root at short cover. Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin resisted England for nearly 18 overs, during which Ashwin sustained blows on his wrist and was smacked on top of his helmet by Jofra Archer. Leach dismissed Ashwin, who batted more than an hour for his nine runs, but India’s resistance effectively ended when Stokes bowled Kohli.