England will face a monumental challenge in the second Test match as India declared their innings at 427 for the loss of six wickets on the fourth day, courtesy to Shubman Gill's historic ton. This declaration has set England a daunting target of 608 runs to win the second Test at Edgbaston.
India set mammoth 608-run target for England to chase in 2nd Test
For the host team, chasing such a significant score with approximately an hour of play remaining on the fourth day and the entirety of the fifth and final day on Sunday presents a formidable task. India, on the other hand, will be aiming for a strong bowling performance to secure their first-ever Test victory at this particular venue. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has etched his name in the record books by becoming the first batsman to score a double century in the first innings and then follow it up with a score of 150 or more in the same match.
The Indian skipper contributed a substantial 161 runs off just 162 deliveries, which included 13 boundaries and 8 towering sixes. Ravindra Jadeja was the next highest scorer for India, with a valuable unbeaten innings of 69 runs. Earlier in the second session of play, Rishabh Pant played an aggressive and impactful innings, scoring an impressive 65 runs. The experienced KL Rahul also played a crucial role, setting a solid foundation for the visiting side with his well-earned half-century of 55 runs.
For England Shoaib Bashir and Josh Tongue took two wickets eac while Brydon Carse and Joe Root chipped in with a scalp apiece.
For India, setting England a target of 608 runs marked their second-highest target ever set in a Test match. Their highest target remains 637 runs, which they set against New Zealand in Wellington back in 2009.
In the history of Test cricket, the record for the highest successful run chase belongs to the West Indies. They achieved this remarkable feat in 2003 when they successfully chased down a target of 418 runs against Australia.
Highest target chased in a fourth innings of a Test
1) 418 - West Indies vs Australia, 2003
2) 414 - South Africa vs Australia, 2008
3) 404 - Australia vs England, 1948
4) 403 - India vs West Indies, 1976
5) 395 - West Indies vs Bangladesh, 2021