Ashwin sparkles as India beat England by 317 runs in 2nd Test to level series 1-1

India has beaten England in the second test match at Chennai by 317 runs to level the four-match series 1-1. India's victory was crafted by a stellar 161 in the first innings by opener Rohit Sharma and then an all-round performance by local boy Ravichandran Ashwin, who took five wickets in England's first innings and followed it up with a century in India's second innings.

With this victory, India has moved to the second spot in the Test Championship table. However, to reach the final against New Zealand, who have already qualified, India needs to win at least two test matches and win the ongoing series. A 2-2 draw between India and England, will result in Australia reaching the final.

England captain Joe Root and Moeen Ali were the only sparks in England's second innings with the latter top-scoring with 43.

Axar Patel took 5-60. Patel became the ninth Indian bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul on Test debut as England was bowled out for 164 runs in the second innings and on the fourth day Tuesday. Ravichandran Ashwin was the last Indian spin bowler to achieve the feat, picking up 6-47 against the West Indies in 2011-12.

Ashwin took 3-53 in the second innings in this match and finished with a match haul of eight wickets. Kuldeep Yadav took 2-25 as Indian spinners accounted for all 10 wickets in the second innings and 17 wickets in the test overall.

England won the first test, also in Chennai, by 227 runs.

Earlier, Ashwin (106) scored his fifth test century and captain Virat Kohli made 62 as India was bowled out for 286 in the second innings.

Having picked up a 29th five-wicket haul in England's first innings, it meant 34-year-old India all-rounder Ashwin registered a century and bagged five wickets in an innings in the same test for the third time in his career.

He moves ahead of Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Shakib al Hasan (Bangladesh) and Jacques Kallis (South Africa) on the all-time list and now trails only England’s Ian Botham, who achieved the feat five times.

“I have been practising with batting coach Vikram Rathour and would love to credit him with how my batting has come through over the last four or five matches," Ashwin said. "I played a lot of sweep shots today and we had a plan against Jack Leach. I am thankful the plan paid off.”