<p>Hyderabad: KL Rahul's classy 86 helped India eclipse England's first-innings total of 246 and take control of the opening Test at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.</p><p>India, who have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, motored along to 309 for five at tea on the second day for a lead of 63, with all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin yet to bat.</p><p>Ravindra Jadeja was on 45 at the break with Srikar Bharat on nine at the other end.</p>.KL Rahul's unbeaten fifty guides India to 222 for 3 at lunch on Day 2.<p>After India resumed day two on 119-1, England opened with part-time spinner Joe Root, who dismissed the dangerous-looking Yashasvi Jaiswal (80) in his first over.</p><p>Jaiswal hit Root's second ball for a four but, two balls later, offered a high return catch to Root, who leapt to pouch the ball.</p><p>Rahul got a reprieve when Ben Foakes grassed a tough chance behind the stumps after the batter had edged Root.</p><p>Root was unlucky again when Shubman Gill miscued a shot but Ben Stokes, stationed at mid-off, lost sight of the ball against the sun.</p><p>Root was taken off the attack after four overs, which was as surprising as England's decision of not using his off-spin on Thursday when Jaiswal was toying with the England spinners.</p><p>Tom Hartley had suffered particularly in his debut test but the left-arm spinner put that agony behind him and dismissed Gill for 24 for his first wicket in international cricket.</p><p>Rahul smacked two sixes in a Rehan Ahmed over to put India in the lead and went on to forge half-century partnerships with Shreyas Iyer (35) and Jadeja to consolidate India's position.</p><p>Leg-spinner Ahmed removed Iyer with Hartley taking the catch in the deep.</p><p>The roles were reversed as the English duo combined again to dismiss Rahul, who threw his bat in disgust after pulling a Hartley half-tracker to Ahmed when a hundred seemed there for the taking. </p>
<p>Hyderabad: KL Rahul's classy 86 helped India eclipse England's first-innings total of 246 and take control of the opening Test at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.</p><p>India, who have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, motored along to 309 for five at tea on the second day for a lead of 63, with all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin yet to bat.</p><p>Ravindra Jadeja was on 45 at the break with Srikar Bharat on nine at the other end.</p>.KL Rahul's unbeaten fifty guides India to 222 for 3 at lunch on Day 2.<p>After India resumed day two on 119-1, England opened with part-time spinner Joe Root, who dismissed the dangerous-looking Yashasvi Jaiswal (80) in his first over.</p><p>Jaiswal hit Root's second ball for a four but, two balls later, offered a high return catch to Root, who leapt to pouch the ball.</p><p>Rahul got a reprieve when Ben Foakes grassed a tough chance behind the stumps after the batter had edged Root.</p><p>Root was unlucky again when Shubman Gill miscued a shot but Ben Stokes, stationed at mid-off, lost sight of the ball against the sun.</p><p>Root was taken off the attack after four overs, which was as surprising as England's decision of not using his off-spin on Thursday when Jaiswal was toying with the England spinners.</p><p>Tom Hartley had suffered particularly in his debut test but the left-arm spinner put that agony behind him and dismissed Gill for 24 for his first wicket in international cricket.</p><p>Rahul smacked two sixes in a Rehan Ahmed over to put India in the lead and went on to forge half-century partnerships with Shreyas Iyer (35) and Jadeja to consolidate India's position.</p><p>Leg-spinner Ahmed removed Iyer with Hartley taking the catch in the deep.</p><p>The roles were reversed as the English duo combined again to dismiss Rahul, who threw his bat in disgust after pulling a Hartley half-tracker to Ahmed when a hundred seemed there for the taking. </p>