India's all-round show earns 2-0 lead

It took, perhaps, a little longer than may have been expected but India duly cantered to an eight-wicket victory in Mohali and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. That it was not until after tea that they knocked off the runs was largely down to a resilient display from Haseeb Hameed, batting at No. 8 due to his finger injury which was confirmed as tour-ending, who ended unbeaten on 59. But the target was swiftly dealt with by Parthiv Patel's unbeaten 54-ball 67.

Hameed's innings put into context the wasteful batting that had pockmarked England's performance. They were chasing the game since the opening session, when they handed three of the four wickets to fall to India, who only briefly let them back into the contest during a frenetic period after tea on the second day when they lost 3 for 8.

England began the fourth day 56 behind with six wickets hand and though Joe Root helped them erase the deficit during the morning session, two further wickets had been shipped by then. When Root departed for 78, sharply held at slip, there were visions of a swift conclusion to the match but Hameed dug in and Chris Woakes played positively to persuade India that the second new ball was needed. It was used with potent effect by Mohammed Shami who claimed two wickets in three deliveries. Hameed was eventually left stranded when James Anderson was slow coming back for a second run.

M Vijay's diminishing returns since his century in Rajkot continued when he fell for a duck, edging a short ball from Woakes to slip, but Parthiv led India's surge to the target - in the process creating a potential selection-poser should Wriddhiman Saha be fit - while Cheteshwar Pujara was content to play within himself, avoiding a regular diet of bouncers, until top-edging a sweep with 15 required.

It was noticeable how England's quicks went for a concerted short-pitched attack early in India's chase, something that had been missing with the game in the balance on the third morning, but barring Ben Stokes' herculean efforts they were out-bowled by the India pacemen.

That was no better highlighted than by Shami's use of the second new ball. He rattled Woakes with a short ball, which hammered into his helmet and dislodged the stem guard, and followed up with another pinpoint short delivery which Woakes could only fend behind to the keeper. Two balls later, Adil Rashid was also bounced out, hooking to fine leg.

The extent of Hameed's injury was still not clear when he came in below Jos Buttler, but Alastair Cook confirmed after play that he required surgery. It was to his immense credit that he did not appear in significant discomfort although he did need further painkillers during his stay.

It took Hameed 19 balls to get off the mark and he needed 111 deliveries to score his first boundary, which came with a slog-sweep against R Ashwin. He had also been given a life on 6 when Parthiv could not gather a tough chance off Ashwin. When he was joined by last-man Anderson he had 23 off 127 balls, but then showed the other side to his game. He took on Shami and, when he was somewhat surprisingly removed from the attack, continued to take on both Aswhin and Ravindra Jadeja with his fifty coming up off 147 deliveries when he slog-swept for six over deep midwicket.

It had not taken long for India to make their first breakthrough when nightwatchman Gareth Batty propped forward at Jadeja's second ball of the day and was given lbw. Root and Buttler responded with intent: Buttler came down the pitch to loft Jadeja over long-off and Root scampered hard between the wickets. For a short period it was reminiscent of a one-day partnership and Virat Kohli relaxed his attacking fields a little.

However, when a batsman such as Buttler is keen to dominate - which was not without merit - the scouts in the deep become wicket-taking catchers and so it proved when Buttler miscued Jayant Yadav to deep midwicket.

Hameed was never going to opt for the Buttler route so it was left to Root to do the majority of the run-scoring while he bedded in. Shami went short at him for a brief period, to try and target the injured hand, but with the old ball the pacemen's main threat continued to be reverse swing with both Shami and Umesh Yadav finding prodigious movement on occasions.

Root's half-century, his second-slowest in Test cricket, was brought up with his third boundary and he then became engaged in a tussle with Ashwin. A cover drive and strong sweep went Root's way, but attempting another sweep he was fortunate to escape as it looped over the wicketkeeper. It was another bowling change which ended his resistance - another call that worked for Kohli in this match - when Root drove at a delivery from Jadeja which gripped enough to take the edge. Both sides' catching has been fallible in this match, but Rahane's snaffle to his left was superb.