Captain Shubman Gill’s 269 puts India in pole position

The record books sought amendment time and again at Edgbaston on Thursday as Shubman Gill etched his name in the golden annals of Indian cricket with an excellent knock of 269 on Day 2 of the second Test against England. After posting a strong 587 in their first innings, the visitors clutched the game harder thanks to an exceptional new-ball spell from their pacers. On a good batting surface, England were reduced to 25/3 inside eight overs before clawing their way back to go to stumps at 77/3, still trailing India by 510 runs.

Gill batted for over two sessions to construct his marathon effort, becoming the highest scorer for his country on English shores. He added 203 with Ravindra Jadeja (89) after India suffered a mini-collapse due to the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Reddy, and a 144-run stand with Washington Sundar (42) – to guide India in the vicinity of the 600-run mark, nipping in the bud the criticism around his team selection and batting-order shuffle.

The first milestone of the day belonged to Gill, a maiden 150 in the format that made him only the second Indian captain to achieve the feat in England since Mohammad Azharuddin’s 179 at Old Trafford in 1990. Picking up from where he left off on the opening day, the skipper orchestrated the team’s zippy start to the second day that saw 55 runs being added to the total in 13 overs before drinks. With the wicket resembling a featherbed, England looked flat and desperate for a breakthrough as the sixth-wicket pair made merry in healthy batting conditions.

Spinner Shoaib Bashir was attacked by the well-set pair with Jadeja first lofting one down the ground for a maximum that raised India’s 400 followed by a slog-sweep behind square from Gill that brought up the 200-run landmark of their partnership.

Josh Tongue resorted to the short-ball tactic that had reaped rewards for England the previous evening, and managed to deliver the much-needed breakthrough for his side. A bumper from round the wicket hustled Jadeja into submission as he gloved it to the keeper while attempting to ride the bounce. He fell 11 short of a deserving hundred, having played his part to perfection in keeping England at bay for almost the entirety of the morning session which resulted in 109 runs for India at 4.36.

Having dislodged Ravindra Jadeja with the short stuff in the morning session, Tongue bent his back and employed more of it to unsettle the all-rounder. He ungainly fended one off his body, that evaded a dive from Bashir at fine-leg to trickle into the fence, and immediately after deposited one high into the stands in the same region. Gill pulled one behind square to become the third Indian to register a double ton in England while continuing to put Bashir under the pump, forcing England to turn to part-timer Harry Brook who was welcomed into the attack with a hat-trick of boundaries that included a square cut and two sweetly-timed straight drives by Gill.

Desperate to break the partnership that had grown past hundred, Stokes asked Joe Root to roll his arm over with Tea around the corner and the former captain did the job. After a vital hand of 42, Washington saw his middle-stump pegged back by the more-than-decent spinner.

Entering Tea at 265 not out, Gill was well poised to become the third Indian with a triple ton, but he pulled a dug-in delivery straight to square-leg to walk back for 269 – country’s seventh-best individual effort in Tests and the highest ever by an Indian captain – as the idea of chin music kept producing results for the hosts.

Filling the big boots of Jasprit Bumrah, Akash took an over to get accustomed to the surroundings, conjuring up a double wicket maiden to put India right on top of the proceedings. Gill could do no wrong on the day as he pulled off a mesmerizing catch to his left at third slip to send the in-form Ben Duckett back for a duck, whereas Ollie Pope’s flick led to a leading edge that was pouched by KL Rahul at second slip, albeit upon a juggle.

The home side was barely breathing when Mohammed Siraj inflicted another blow. Zak Crawley unnecessarily poked at a tempter shaping away from him, as Karun Nair completed the formalities at first slip to send the lanky opener packing for 19.

With 12.5 overs left in the day, England found themselves facing extreme duress but the duo of Joe Root and Harry Brook resuscitated the innings. That said, the hosts still find themselves in a delicate position with another 310 needed to avoid the follow-through.

Brief scores: England 77/3 (Joe Root 30*; Akash Deep 2-36) trail India 587 (Shubman Gill 269, Ravindra Jadeja 89, Yashasvi Jaiswal 87; Shoaib Bashir 3-167, Chir Woakes 2-81, Josh Tongue 2-119) by 510 runs