Visakhapatnam: India beat England by 246 runs in the second cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here today.

It took the home team 32 balls to get the first breakthrough as England lost two wickets — Ben Duckett (0) and Moeen Ali (2) — in first hour of play before debutant Jayant Yadav (1/21) gave the breakthrough with the second new ball.

Thereafter Mohammad Shami (2/30) made things difficult as the ball started to reverse early.

Shami ended Joe Root (25)’s vigil with an inswinging yorker and then dismissed Adil Rasheed with a delivery from wide of the crease that kicked up from length.

The English middle-order crumbled losing 4 wickets for 29 runs to find themselves on the verge of defeat in the maiden Test at the Dr YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.

It was a study contrast as the top three batsmen of Alastair Cook (54), Haseeb Hameed (25) and Joe Root (25) consumed 439 balls — 73.1 overs — but the rest have fallen in a heap what can be termed as a meek surrender.

Earlier, Root had some lucky escape with Virat Kohli dropping the English No 3 on nine at leg slip and a decision was also overturned.

Finally, the first opening came after 15 minutes into the day with Ashwin removing a tense-looking Duckett, who perished trying to play the sweep.

There was extra bounce but Duckett’s shot selection did him in as the ball hit his gloves and hit the pad before looping into Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves.

In a tense and tight situation, Root was adjudged caught behind by Rod Tucker but England successfully used the DRS as the decision was overturned after review.

Root, who was floored by Virat Kohli at leg slip on 9, again survived on with an addition of two runs as the snicko registered a faint mark and the third umpire was not convinced to dismiss Tucker’s call.

Persisting with a tidy line and aiming the roughs, left-arm spinner Jadeja got his first wicket this morning dismissing Ali as his forward defensive prod saw him get an inside edge which was taken by Kohli at backward short leg.

The ball seemed to have bounced more than normal after hitting the edge of a widening crack.

Maintaining a fine over rate, Indian spinners ran through the opening hour bowling 20.4 overs and were quick to get the second new ball in 80 overs and get their exhausted reviews quota renewed.

Having made an impressive debut, Jayant Yadav struck with the new ball as he bowled a beauty to clean up Ben Stokes (6).

The delivery had a nice drift as it pitched on the middle stump with Stokes going for a backfoot defence. It spun enough to clip the off-bail in what was a tweaker’s delight.