India's batters pile on the pain as tourists' spin attack is made to suffer despite early breakthrough

HALF-AN-HOUR into the afternoon session in Hyderabad, just as distant English followers were rising from the land of nod, Kannanur Rahul launched Rehan Ahmed into the seats for a second time in the over and sent India into the lead.

- Malik Ouzia

It may be only two days into this five-match series, but already it seems reasonable to fear the tourists might never claw their way back.

Today's second day followed the pattern of the first, England toiling admirably to stay on the coat-tails of the hosts but the gulf in class, in these conditions, simply too large.

Again, there was early promise, Joe Root striking with the morning's fourth ball and Tom Hartley claiming a redemptive first Test wicket after his day-one woes. By evening, though, India were firmly on top, having exposed a novice spin stock once more.

The first-innings lead approaching stumps had swelled beyond 140 with three wickets still in hand, and might have been more had the home batters been as ruthless as they were, at times, rampant.

Yashavi Jaiswal added only four to his overnight 76, while Rahul picked out a lonely boundary fielder when on 86 and cruising towards a hundred, having seen Shreyas Iyer surrender an ominous start in similar mode. Ravindra Jadeja, though, was less forgiving, unbeaten and into the seventies as India reached 387 for seven still looking to extend.