CUTTACK: Limited overs stalwarts Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni rolled back the years to smash scintillating centuries and power India to a commanding 381 for six in the second one-day international against England on Thursday.

Put into bat, the hosts were reeling at 25 for three at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium when the duo, with the experience of 580 one-dayers between them, staged a spectacular recovery with an epic 256-run partnership spread over 38-odd overs.

The early dismissals of the openers or the rare failure by home captain Virat Kohli mattered little as Yuvraj and Dhoni first steadied the ship before exhibiting the kind of shot-making which comes naturally to them.

Left-handed Yuvraj, one of the cleanest strikers of the ball, hammered a career-best 150 off 127 balls, a sizzling knock studded with 21 boundaries and three sixes.

Dhoni, who relinquished limited-overs captaincy earlier this month, made 134 off 122 balls, his 10th one-day century. His innings contained six sixes, including three in a Liam Plunkett over.

Paceman Chris Woakes emerged from the batting carnage with his reputation intact, having claimed four of the six Indian wickets while Plunkett got the other two, having bled 91 runs in his 10 overs.

Beaten in the Pune run-feast, England must win the contest to keep the three-match series alive.

Kolkata hosts the third and final one-dayer on Sunday, before the teams play three Twenty20 Internationals.