England batsman Joe Root hit form with his first century in the five-match series in India after the tourists elected to bat in the fourth Test in Ranchi on Friday.

Root hit debutant pace bowler Akash Deep for a four to raise his 31st Test hundred.

The former captain had managed just 77 runs over the previous six innings and had been criticised for throwing away his wicket off a reverse scoop before England lost the third Test.

Root has more than 11,000 Test runs in his 138 previous matches with an average of close to 50.