Ben Stokes' side shows heart but they are ultimately facing a weekend defeat in Dharamsala in a fifth Test during which they have been outplayed almost from the outset
Dharamsala (day two of five): England 218, India 473-8 - India are 255 runs ahead with two first-innings wickets remaining
India cemented their position of authority as England fought desperately to hold onto their coattails on day two of the fifth Test in Dharamsala.
Rohit Sharma (103) and Shubman Gill (110) both stuck centuries, their 12th and sixth in Tests respectively, as the hosts powered into a 255-run lead.
Debutant Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan then both hit half-centuries on a day of toil.
But England showed heart, first in the afternoon as Ben Stokes - bowling for the first time in eight months - and James Anderson each struck in the space of eight deliveries.
Stokes was back with ball in hand in Dharamsala (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Twenty-year-old Shoaib Bashir then came to the fore with three wickets to finish the day with figures of 4 for 170.
Tom Hartley then picked up two in an over, first trapping Ravindra Jadeja (15) lbw and then bowling Ravichandran Ashwin in his 100th Test for a duck.
Inevitably, India had the final word as Kuldeep Yadav (27 not out) and Jasprit Bumrah (19 not out) put on an unbeaten stand worth 45 for the ninth wicket to extend the lead beyond 250.
It leaves the tourists, already trailing by an unassailable 3-1 deficit in the series, with an uphill battle to take the Test beyond day three.
However, Stokes - who expressed his satisfaction with England's display in the series despite India's success - will again be heartened by the spirit his side showed when the hosts were on top.
Though that was never more on display than when he took the ball after lunch and with his first delivery in 251 days knocked over Rohit's off-stump.
Centurions Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Anderson then made Gill Test victim No.699 before India were forced to retreat.
Padikkal and Sarfaraz steadied the ship, putting on 97 for the fourth wicket, a partnership broken by Bashir via the first delivery after tea as the latter found the grateful hands of Joe Root.
India continued to stutter, albeit their lead had by now extended beyond 200, as Somerset spinner Bashir bowled Padikkal and had Dhuruv Jurel caught on the long-on boundary.
Hartley claimed twice wickets in a single over - England suddenly had three in nine balls - but Kuldeep and Bumrah battened down the hatches to keep the away side firmly at arm's length.
Ben Stokes' first ball = wicket ☝️#INDvENGpic.twitter.com/RCmOilwNii
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 8, 2024
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