England skipper Joe Root continued his brilliance as he smashed his fifth double ton in the longest format of the game on Day 2 of the opening Test against India at Chepauk.

Root, who was unbeaten on 128 overnight, dominated the Indian bowlers to propel his team towards a gigantic first innings total of 555/8 till stumps on Day 2.

The right-hander played a marathon knock of 218 before getting out LBW to left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem. He batted more than 4 sessions and 377 balls while his knock was studded with 19 fours and 2 sixes.

Speaking after the day’s play, star all-rounder Ben Stokes hailed Root's ability to play spin bowling, saying that half of England batsmen can't tackle the tweakers like their captain does.

"Yeah, it makes us all feel, you know, pretty rubbish (laughs), the way he, how easy he makes batting look. And yeah, I was quite surprised he ran down the wicket and hit a six to bring up a double (century)," Stokes, who himself played a brilliant knock of 82, said during a virtual press conference.

"He is in phenomenal form and just makes things look very, very easy and the way that he plays spin, dominates spin and it's incredible to watch. I don't think half the England batsmen ever play spin in the way that he does.

"He's just got options, he has got an option for everything that's thrown at him and yeah, it is just a delight to watch him at the moment," he added.

Thanks to Root's herculean effort, England crossed the 500-run mark and Stokes had no qualms in admitting that the visitors are in a very strong position.

"Yeah, it's nice coming back in with a (knock like that), with a bit time off and now spending some time out in the middle, but all in all I think we're in a very strong position as a team.

"Batting first and after putting ourselves in and being 500 or whatever we are (555/8), still with two wickets remaining (going into) day three is very strong position," he said.

Stokes also revealed that England were not at all thinking about declaration in the last session on Day 2.  

"There were no thoughts whatsoever of a declaration tonight because I'll be stupid if we won the toss and bat first, you just get as many runs as you can out here in India.

"And if we can bat for another hour tomorrow, you know, we would be very happy with that," he concluded.

(With PTI inputs)