India vs England 2nd Test: Shubman Gill Led India To A Record Breaking Win At Edgbaston

Birmingham (England) July 6: Shubman Gill’s new-age India capped off a dominant Test display by scripting a piece of history, hammering England by 336 runs to register their first-ever win at Edgbaston in 10 attempts, and first at the venue since 1967. In a week of bold batting and relentless discipline, India not only levelled the series 1-1 but did so in a fashion their legendary predecessors never quite managed on English soil.

At the heart of this landmark win was Gill himself. In just his second Test as captain, the 25-year-old stood taller than ever, becoming the first India skipper to score a double century in England and only the second to register twin centuries in a Test after Sunil Gavaskar. Gill’s 269 in the first innings was an exhibition in control, tempo, and strokeplay, breaking multiple records, including Virat Kohli’s 254* for the highest score by an India captain. If that wasn’t enough, he returned in the second innings to slam a blistering 161 off 162 balls, accelerating India into a mammoth 608-run lead.

India’s dominance began with the bat after being put in on a placid Edgbaston surface. After early jitters, Gill and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a mammoth 203-run stand. While the captain marched to his double hundred, Jadeja’s calm 89 provided the much-needed support for the skipper. Washington Sundar later joined Gill for a 144-run partnership, with India piling 587, the most England have conceded under Ben Stokes’ leadership.

In reply, England’s top order wilted under pressure. Akash Deep, brought in for a rested Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj ran riot. Siraj picked a five-wicket haul and eventually ended with six to his name, as England were bowled out for 407. Gill led from the front again in the second innings, after KL Rahul improved from the previous innings to score a half-century (55). The Indian captain thumped a rapid century while Rishabh Pant (65 off 58) counterattacked with his usual flair. Jadeja added an unbeaten 69 as India declared at a target of 608.

England, never a side to back down, attempted resistance through Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, and later Ben Stokes. But the fifth day saw rains delaying the start of the play, allowing India even less time to run through the English batting order. The eventual start, however, brought crucial breakthroughs: Akash Deep dismissing Pope, Krishna removing Brook, and a clever three-man ploy orchestrated by Gill to trap Stokes before lunch, with Jadeja and Sundar combining.

Akash Deep: The Game Changer 

While Siraj was the star of India’s first innings with the ball, Akash Deep produced a memorable outing in the second. The Indian pacer applied pressure on batters consistently and closed the game with a well-deserved five-wicket haul (6/99). He effectively crushed the English top-order with wickets of Ben Duckett (25), Ollie Pope (24), and Joe Root (6). In the second session, he effectively crushed England’s hopes for a miraculous draw when he ended Jamie Smith’s resistance at 88.

While Akash Deep was the best with the ball, Siraj, Krishna, Jadeja, and Sundar were all among the wickets. India’s slip-catching, notably sharp after the drops in Leeds, played a significant part throughout the second Test. England were eventually bowled out for 271, as the series is now level at 1-1. Both teams return for the third Test of the series at the iconic Lord’s from July 10.