Ravichandran Ashwin inspires India to crushing Test win over England in Chennai

Hosts claim 317-run victory to level series as all-rounder claims eight wickets to go with his second innings century

Axar Patel celebrates after claiming the wicket of England captain Joe Root during India's 317-run victory in the second Test in Chennai on February 16. All images courtesy of Sportzpics for BCCI

Ishant Sharma of India bowling during Day 4 of the second Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

England's Ben Stokes plays a shot in Chennai.

India's Kuldeep Yadav celebrates the wicket of Ben Foakes for two.

England captain Joe Root scored 33 from 92 balls in the second innings.

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli celebrate taking the wicket of England all-rounder Ben Stokes.

England batsman Dan Lawrence is stumped by Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for 26.

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates the wicket of Dan Lawrence with India teammates.

Ben Stokes of England plays a shot. The all-rounder managed just eight runs in the second innings.

England's Joe Root plays a shot.

Moeen Ali top-scored for England after smashing 43 runs off 18 balls, including three fours and five sixes.

Ben Stokes of England plays a shot.

England's Ben Foakes takes a single during Day 4.

India captain Virat Kohli described his side's performance against England as "perfect" after the hosts completed a crushing 317-run win in Chennai to level the Test series on Tuesday.

Chasing a record victory target of 482, England's last seven batsmen lasted a little over a session on the penultimate day as they collapsed to 164 all out.

Although it was a marginal improvement from the 134 they managed in the first innings, all 10 English batsmen fell to spin on a turning track where the ball kicked up dust on landing.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a five-wicket haul in his debut Test, while Ravichandran Ashwin's tally of eight wickets and a century in the second innings earned him the man of the match award.

Moeen Ali smashed five sixes, including three in a row off Patel, to top-score for England with 43 off 18 balls, and captain Joe Root made 33 but his team's run of six away Test victories ended in Chennai.

India will reach the final of the inaugural World Test Championship if they win the series.

England must win both remaining matches to make the June final on home soil against New Zealand.

"Our application with the bat was outstanding," home captain Kohli said after leading India to their biggest victory against England by runs.

"Conditions were challenging for both sides but we showed more application to grit it out. It was a perfect game for us."

Resuming on 53-3, England lost four wickets in the morning session and it could easily have been five as Mohammed Siraj dropped an easy catch at backward point after Root, on 32, reverse-swept Kuldeep Yadav.

By then England had lost all-rounder Ben Stokes, who faced 52 balls for his eight runs, before Ashwin dismissed him and the touring side's resistance effectively ended when Patel removed Root after lunch.

Root mournfully stared at the spot where the ball had landed before kicking up to hit his glove en route to slip.

Realising the futility of defending, Moeen went on the attack and entertained the noisy crowd before Kuldeep had him stumped.

"Credit has to go to India, they outplayed us in all three departments," Root said.

"For us, it's bit of an education for us, we got to learn from this...we got to find a way to scoring runs in these conditions."

The third Test, a day-night match, starts in Ahmedabad on February 24.

India will be fretting on the availability of opener Shubman Gill, who sustained a blow to his forearm and did not field on Tuesday.