England skipper Joe Root on Saturday became the first-ever cricketer to hit a double ton on his 100th Test as the visitors breezed past the 450-mark at Tea on the second day of the opening Test in Chennai.
Root, unbeaten at 209 from 353 deliveries, got to the landmark in style, dancing down the track to dispatch a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery for a six over the long-on fence. England were 454 for the loss of four wickets at Tea.
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The 30-year-old is currently basking in the form of his life, scoring his second double century in three matches, with scores of 228 and 186 powering England to a 2-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka last month.
Root, who made his England debut in India in 2012, has scored five Test double hundreds, three of them coming as captain.
He became just the third-ever Englishman and the ninth batsman in Test history to notch a century on his 100th cap when he reached three figures on Friday.
Former Pakistan batsman Inzamam ul Haq was the previous record holder of the highest 100th Test score, with 184. Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is the only player to have scored a century on each innings of his 100th Test.
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It was a long toil for the Indian bowlers as the English batters went from strength-to-strength to threaten a mammoth first-innings total.
Starting the day at 263/2, Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes (82) forged a 124-run partnership, with the latter counterattacking after a nervous start to notch a quick-fire half-century, which was the 23rd of his Test career.
His dismissal, shortly after Lunch, was the only setback for the visitors, with Root leading the England onslaught.
