Indian bowlers kept England batters in check on Day 2 as visitors left hosts reeling at 77/3 by the end of Day 2's play in the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 3.
India in driver's seat in 2nd Test against England
Shubman Gill struck a magnificent double century to help India post a mammoth total of 587. In reply, Akash Deep hunted down Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks in quick intervals. Mohammed Siraj further compounded England's woes by affecting Zak Crawley's dismissal which left the hosts teetering at 77/3, which means they are still trailing behind India by 510 runs.
England's response to India's mammoth total began poorly as their centurions from the previous Test, Duckett and Pope, were both dismissed caught in the slips in consecutive deliveries during seamer Akash Deep's second over. This early double blow put India firmly in control of the match, addressing the questions that had been raised about their performance leading into this Test.
Further inroads were made when Crawley edged a ball from Mohammed Siraj to the slips, departing for 19. While Harry Brook showed some aggression in his innings, finishing unbeaten on 30 alongside Joe Root (18 not out), he also had moments that could have further compounded England's struggles. This all came after Shubman Gill had earlier displayed remarkable skill and composure to score the highest ever innings by an Indian batter in England and the highest by an Indian captain anywhere in the world.
Shubman Gill lights up Edgbaston with incredible double ton
Having resumed his innings on 114, Gill extended his partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to 203, steering India away from any early vulnerability. Following Jadeja's dismissal for 89, Gill then formed another substantial partnership of 144 runs with Washington Sundar, further solidifying India's dominant position.
Despite having let a winning opportunity slip in Leeds previously, India now hold a strong advantage as they aim to level the series. England, known for their ability to achieve unlikely victories under Stokes' captaincy, face a significant challenge, which was made even tougher by India's initial three quick wickets.
England have conceded 500 or more runs three times under their current regime and have managed to win on each of those occasions. However, none of those previous totals were as high as India's in this match. Historically, only one team has conceded such a large total and gone on to win – New Zealand against Bangladesh in 2017, who chased down 595-8 declared.
Although the pitch remains conducive to batting, India's bowlers managed to extract more movement and zip from it compared to England's attack throughout the day. India did not miss the rested Jasprit Bumrah, as Akash Deep stepped up effectively in place of the world's leading bowler. The upcoming days of the Test will be intriguing, particularly given Stokes' consistent assertion that his team will not play for draws, a scenario that other teams might consider, especially holding a series lead.
Reflecting the unpredictable nature of cricket, Duckett followed his impressive 149 in the previous week with a five-ball duck in this match. His attempt to play every ball outside off stump, which had benefited him during England's successful chase in the last Test, led to a thick edge to third slip, where Gill took a tumbling catch. Improved catching was evident for India, as they held onto every chance offered, a stark contrast to their dropped catches in Leeds. KL Rahul juggled Pope's edge at first slip before securing the catch, and Karun Nair at first slip safely took Crawley's edge. While Akash Deep's skiddy bowling produced seam movement, India's new-ball bowlers found nearly double the amount of swing (1.1 degrees) compared to what England managed.
England's Brook approached his innings with his characteristic aggressive intent. After being beaten twice by Siraj in his first few deliveries and surviving a close lbw review against the same bowler, he counter-attacked by stepping away and hitting the seamer for a four and then lofting him for a six. Later in his innings, he narrowly avoided being bowled after stepping towards the leg side again, and in the final over of the day, he had to use his shoulder to deflect the ball away from his stumps.