India claimed total dominance of the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on Thursday, with Shubman Gill's record double hundred laying the foundation ahead of pacemen Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj limiting England to 77/3 by stumps on Day Two at Edgbaston.
England are still trailing by a whopping 510 runs, and they have a towering task to climb back into the game.
Gill's majestic 269 – his best in Test cricket – not only propelled India to a dominant 587 in 151 overs but also made it into the record books as India's best Test score by an Indian skipper and an Indian batter's highest ever in England. His century marathon had 30 fours and three sixes and was a demonstration of poise, determination, and craftsmanship at the crease.
The support was provided by Ravindra Jadeja (89) and Washington Sundar (42), who played supporting roles of significance. Jadeja and Gill shared a monstrous 203-run sixth-wicket partnership, while Sundar collaborated with his captain for a 144-run seventh-wicket partnership, dampening the English bowling attack.
England's leading order then collapsed under continuous pressure from India seamers. Up for a rested Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep made an early impression picking up 2 for 36, with Siraj contributing 1 for 21. Even as Joe Root (18*) and Harry Brook (30*) succeeded in stabilizing the innings to an extent, the hosts still faced a humongous first-innings deficit at day's end.
The English innings began on a lively note with Zak Crawley hitting two boundaries off Akash. But the Indian bowler got his revenge quickly, getting Ben Duckett's outside edge with a ball that seamed just enough so that skipper Gill, who had come back onto the field, could take a breathtaking diving catch at slip to return the opener for a duck.
Next delivery, Ollie Pope attempted to look a full delivery but managed to edge it to KL Rahul at second slip, who took the catch on the second attempt. England's collapse continued as Siraj coaxed slight movement to dismiss Crawley, whose edge was picked up by Karun Nair at first slip.
Root and Brook then dug in to offer some resistance. Brook played smooth, unspinning drives, flicks, and lofted shots, even getting Prasidh Krishna for a few well-placed boundaries. But the peak still lies ahead for England.
Earlier in the day in the final session, Gill's magnificent innings ended when he tried to hook Josh Tongue but mis-timed it to square leg. The Edgbaston crowd stood up to give a standing ovation to the Indian captain's masterclass. India's innings quickly concluded as Akash Deep holed out to long-on off Bashir, who then stumped Siraj to end with 3/167.
India's dominant stumps at the end of the day concluded an almost unopposed day by the visiting side and one of the greatest innings in recent times that dominated the headlines.
Brief Scores:
India 587 in 151 overs (Shubman Gill 269, Ravindra Jadeja 89; Shoaib Bashir 3-167, Chris Woakes 2-81)
lead England 77/3 in 20 overs (Harry Brook 30, Joe Root 18*; Akash Deep 2-36, Mohammed Siraj 1-21) by 510 runs.*
Read also| Shubman Gill Shines with 269 as Indian Pacers Dominate Edgbaston Test
Read also| Ganguly Questions Gambhir’s Spinner Picks Ahead of England Test
