Chennai Test: Root, Ali boost England to 182/3 at tea

Half centuries by Joe Root and Moeen Ali lifted England to a decent 182 for three on the first day of the fifth and final Test against India on Friday.
Root was dismissed after scoring 88, though the batsman was not convinced with the decision of the TV umpire after India asked for the Decision Review System.
At tea, Moeen and Jonny Bairstow were batting on 63 and 10 respectively.
Having opted to bat after winning the toss, the visitors lost skipper Alastair Cook (10) and Keaton Jennings (1) early, and recovered due to a 146-run third-wicket partnership between Root and Moeen.
Root looked to be in good touch as he played some effective shots and, in the company of a solid Moeen, added 114 runs in the second session of play.
Thanks to the duo’s effort, the session no doubt belonged to England, though they lost Root at a crucial juncture of play.
After a rather slow start, England also improved their scoring rate with Root and Moeen at the helm of affairs.
Bairstow looked classy in the few balls he has played and while Root was caught behind after review, Bairstow survived as a DRS decision went in his favour just before tea.
During his 144-ball innings, Root found the fence ten times, and Ali hit six boundaries off 141 deliveries.
Root was out to Ravindra Jadeja while going for sweep and so thin could be the edge that the batsman may not have felt it.
Earlier, India struck twice as England endured a testing first session to reach 68 for two at lunch.
At the lunch break, Root was unbeaten on 44, with Moeen giving the current England batting mainstay company on 7.
Seeking to restore some pride after being subjected to three successive crushing defeats at the hands of the hosts, England lost the wickets of Cook and Jennings with just 21 runs on the board.
Striking the early blows at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, made battle-ready owing to some outstanding work by the groundstaff, including using burning coal to dry the pitch, were comeback man Ishant Sharma and Jadeja, who was getting purchase from the surface.
Jennings, who signalled his arrival in the Test arena with a century and golden duck in his maiden game in Mumbai last week, was the first casualty as he he edged Sharma to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.
The visitors were seven for one and it soon became 21 for two when Jadeja, the first slow bowler to be introduced into the attack, induced an edge from Cook for skipper Virat Kohli to take a low catch at first slip.
Jennings, while attempting to drive an over-pitched delivery, got a thick edge as India reaped the reward for maintaining discipline early on.
Cook, who got to the 11000-run landmark, once again fell to Jadeja who, in the previous over, created doubts in the beleaguered English skipper’s minds with some that turned and some that did not.
The left-arm spinner then pushed one wide outside off and got a thick edge from the batsman whose horror tour against Jadeja continued.
Root and Ali then tried to steady the ship with an unbroken stand of 47 for the third wicket.
In his 75-ball unbeaten knock, Root found the fence five times.
India are eyeing their biggest-ever Test series victory against England and stretch of an unbeaten run to a record 18 matches.

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