Fifth Test: India's top order fail yet again as they stutter at 174/6 on day 2

India's batting problems continued in the fifth and final Test against England as the visitors ended Day 2 at 174/6, still 158 runs behind England's first-innings total of 332.

At stumps on Saturday, debutant Hanuma Vihari was unbeaten on 25 while Ravindra Jadeja was not out on eight. India have three days remaining to avoid another defeat after England took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

England's James Anderson and Ben Stokes claimed two wickets each, while Sam Curran took one. Virat Kohli once again led India's scoring effort, making a determined 49 before Stokes ended his innings.

England, resuming at 198/7, were initially in danger of being bowled out cheaply. However, Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad turned the situation around with a crucial ninth-wicket partnership. Buttler scored 89, while Broad contributed 38 as the pair added 98 runs to take England to 312/9.

Ravindra Jadeja eventually broke the partnership when Broad attempted to clear mid-on and was caught by Lokesh Rahul. Jadeja then completed India's innings by dismissing Buttler, who had fallen just short of a century.

Jadeja finished with impressive figures of 4/79, while Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah claimed three wickets each. England added 134 runs to their overnight total despite losing three wickets during the morning and afternoon sessions.

India's reply began badly when Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for just three. Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara then steadied the innings with a 64-run second-wicket partnership.

Both batsmen scored 37, but India's resistance soon weakened. Sam Curran produced a sharply swinging delivery to remove Rahul before Anderson struck twice in quick succession to dismiss Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who was out for a duck.

Kohli appeared comfortable at the crease and once again looked India's most assured batsman. He struck six boundaries in his 70-ball innings before edging a Stokes delivery to Joe Root at slip.

Rishabh Pant's disappointing run continued as he was dismissed for five, edging Stokes to Alastair Cook in the slip cordon.

Vihari survived two LBW appeals from Broad, with the first appearing particularly close on replay, although England did not review the decision.

India now face a difficult task on Day 3. With only four wickets remaining and a substantial deficit still to overcome, Vihari and Jadeja will be crucial to India's hopes of first reaching England's total and then building a competitive position in the match.

Brief scores:

England 1st innings: 332 (Jos Buttler 89, Alastair Cook 71; Ravindra Jadeja 4/79, Ishant Sharma 3/62, Jasprit Bumrah 3/83)

India: 174/6 (Virat Kohli 49, Hanuma Vihari 25*, Ravindra Jadeja 8*; James Anderson 2/20, Ben Stokes 2/44, Sam Curran 1/46)