Rohit Sharma’s fluent unbeaten century propelled India to 189 for 3 in their first innings at tea on the opening day of the second cricket Test against England on Saturday.

It was Rohit’s seventh Test hundred and he had  struck 18 fours and two maximums to reach 161 before getting out off a Jack Leach delivery. Giving him company at the other end was vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who soon brought up his 23rd Test fifty in 104 deliveries that included eight boundaries. 

Opting to bat on a turning Chepauk track, India lost three wickets in the opening session in the form of opener Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli.

India won the toss and elected to bat first as they look to put behind a humiliating 227-run defeat in the first Test of the series against England. Another loss in the four-match series could cost India a spot in the final of the World Test Championship.

With the chips down and the stakes high, the stage is set for India’s mercurial skipper Virat Kohli, who loves to bring his A game to the fore under pressure. 

A look at the newly-laid dark-coloured Chepauk track is an indication that unlike the strip used during the first Test, this one will offer turn earlier than expected.

Ravichandran Ashwin will need a lot of support from the other end in terms of both restrictive and attacking options. India have brought in left-arm spinner Axar Patel and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav into the playing XI.

Despite winning the first match comprehensively, England have made a few changes to their playing XI. The visitors have brought in a new wicketkeeper in Ben Foakes and Stuart Broad replaced James Anderson as part of workload management. Also in the playing XI is Moeen Ali, a known nemesis of India, in place of last match’s first innings top wicket-taker Dom Bess.

India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishbah Pant (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.

England Playing XI: Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Daniel Lawrence, Joe Root(c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes(wk), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach.