oe Root’s remarkable run of form continued as he passed 150 for the third successive Test, helping England enjoy a fine morning session on the second day in Chennai, with Ben Stokes joining his captain for a lively unbroken stand of 92.
On Friday he became the ninth man to score a century in his 100th Test and now is the seventh player to score hundreds in three successive Tests. Only Alastair Cook now has more than his 10 scores of 150 or more.
Root scored just 28 runs in the session and was happy to simply settle into the broad slipstream of Stokes, playing a Test for the first time since August.
When scoreless, he was lucky to survive a searing yorker from Jasprit Bumrah – who dismissed Dan Lawrence and Dom Sibley on the opening day – but his second scoring shot was a six down the ground off R.Ashwin.
Stokes would flay another six, and reach his 73-ball half-century with successive reverse-sweeps off Shahbaz Nadeem. When Washington Sundar came on, he was slog-swept for more boundaries.
He was, though, riding his luck a touch as India’s spinners found more turn and bounce and tough one-handed chances were dropped by Ashwin off his own bowling and Che Pujara at midwicket. India’s frustration was evident in the wasting a review to Stokes, before a better shout to Root – on 147 – also saw them lose a review.
Stokes almost ran Root out on 151; by reaching that score he had ensured that his career average would remain above 50 after his next dismissal.
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