Opener Ben Duckett smashed a century to lead England's attacking reply of 207/2 on Friday after Indian spinner R Ashwin reached 500 Test wickets in the third match of the series.

The left-handed Duckett reached his third Test hundred in 88 balls as England reached 207-2 to cut their deficit after they bowled out India for 445 on day two in Rajkot.

Duckett, on 133, and Joe Root, on nine, were batting at close of play. The tourists still trail India by 238 runs.

Duckett came out roaring and, despite a hostile opening spell by the Indian quicks, hit regular boundaries in his 80-ball opening stand of 84 with Zak Crawley.

Meanwhile, off-spinner Ashwin claimed his 500th Test wicket to become just the ninth bowler to make the feat. He began the Test on 499 wickets, dismissed opener Zak Crawley for 15 in Rajkot.

He is only the second Indian to reach the milestone after fellow spinner Anil Kumble (619).

Ashwin bowled a full-length delivery at leg-stump and Crawley top-edged to Rajat Patidar at fine leg. Ashwin joins fellow spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka - 800), the late Shane Warne (Australia - 708), Kumble and Nathan Lyon (Australia - 517) in the exclusive club.

India were bowled out for 445 in the first innings after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj added 30 runs for the final wicket.

Mark Wood scalped four wickets before England raced to 31-0 before tea was called on Day 2 of the third Test between India and England. The visitors began their innings at 5-0 after India were penalised five runs as Ravichandran Ashwin ran on the danger area of the pitch during his time in the middle with the bat.

Earlier in the day, India lost overnight batters Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in quick succession within the first hour of the day’s play.

Ashwin and debutant Dhruv Jurel then ensured that no more wickets fell in the opening session as they stitched a 77-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Leg spinner Rehan Ahmed, however, struck twice early in the second session to send back both the set batters. While Ashwin fell going for a big hit, Jurel was caught behind soon after.

Bumrah then went on a rampage with three boundaries and a six before he was trapped leg before wicket to draw curtains on the Indian innings.