India started the second Test at Edgbaston with a great batting performance, reaching 310-5 by the end of the first day. The best part of the day was Shubman Gill’s amazing Edgbaston Century, which was a calm and mature 114 not out. Gill’s century gave India a strong start, which was especially important because star bowler Jasprit Bumrah was rested to manage his workload.
The pitch at Edgbaston looked slow and good for batting, and the Indian team took full advantage of it. India needs to win this Test match because England is ahead in the series 1-0. Gill’s performance has given the visitors a base to build on.
Why did England decide to bowl first, even though the batting conditions were good?
Ben Stokes chose to bowl first after winning the toss. He might have thought that the clouds in the morning would help his seamers. In the past, there has been a lot of movement on the first day at Edgbaston, and England’s last win against India at this venue was based on a successful chase in the fourth innings. But those conditions didn’t last long.
Only a few overs into the game, the sun came out, which took away any threat of swing or seam at first. The surface was a little dry, but it didn’t have much speed or bounce. This helped the Indian openers get used to the game quickly. England’s bowlers did a good job of keeping India from getting too far ahead, but they didn’t have the depth to break up a strong lineup.
The plan didn’t work out as well as they had hoped, especially as the day went on and India took advantage of the flat pitch, led by Shubman Gill’s Edgbaston Century.
How did India score runs without Bumrah?
India changed three players in their XI. Bumrah didn’t play, and Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, and Nitish Kumar Reddy were brought in. It was clear that the Indian think tank wanted to add more depth to their batting and all-around options to make up for the loss of their fast bowler.
The first two batsmen, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, made a calm start at Edgbaston Century. Jaiswal played beautifully, hitting his way to 87 and punishing short-pitched bowling early on. He hit a lot of boundaries on the offside and had good footwork against spin during his fluent innings.
After Jaiswal got behind, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, and Rishabh Pant all got off to good starts but couldn’t finish. England’s bowlers took advantage of those short breaks very well. But Gill was the real star of the day. He kept the innings going and kept things balanced at all times.
At 211-5, India was in a bit of trouble when the fifth wicket fell. But the 99-run partnership between Shubman Edgbaston Century and Ravindra Jadeja brought things back to normal. Their partnership came at a crucial time and made sure that India was in a strong position at the end of the day. Read another article on Man United vs Rangers Highlights
Did England miss important chances with the ball?
England’s bowlers, especially Chris Woakes, stayed focused all day. Woakes got KL Rahul with a peach that nipped back and clipped the inside edge. Later, he got rid of Reddy, who misjudged a leave and got bowled. Brydon Carse also did well, getting Karun Nair out with a well-placed bouncer.
Even though they kept trying and kept their lines neat, England didn’t have much luck with DRS calls. The field called two important lbw shouts against Jaiswal and Nair, not out, and the review kept the umpire’s call. A big inside edge also led to another early appeal against Gill being thrown out.
There was also a time before lunch when England used a short-ball strategy. It caused some tension, but it let the Indian batters score easily. The strategy was quickly dropped in favor of a more traditional one, and Stokes went back to attacking fields and bowling slowly.
When Rishabh Pant tried to hit a big shot and was caught at long-on, Shoaib Bashir made a big breakthrough. It was one of the slowest deliveries by an England spinner that took a wicket in a long time, but it worked because the fielders were smart about where they put themselves.
Can India’s middle order build on their lead on the second day?
As day two begins, India’s main goal will be to get their total over 450. A big score could put pressure on England because the surface is mostly flat and the batting conditions are good. If Gill and Jadeja keep playing the way they have been, India could take full control of this game.
It’s even more important to get a higher first-innings total because Bumrah isn’t there. India’s bowlers will have to play more defensively and contain the runs if they don’t have his strike power. Any runs scored in the morning session could be very important for the whole match.
India has a chance to extend their innings even longer because Washington Sundar and Akash Deep are at the bottom of the order. A century-long partnership to start the day could make things a lot harder for England.
What does Shubman Gill’s innings mean for India’s plans?
It can’t be said enough how important the Shubman Gill Edgbaston Century is. It wasn’t just the runs; it was also how calm and methodical he was that stood out. This time, instead of his usual flair in white-ball cricket, he focused on control, patience, and leadership.
Gill got to his half-century in 125 balls, which was the slowest of his career. This was also the slowest Test hundred he had ever scored. But the innings was just right for the situation in the match. He waited for bad pitches, changed the strike well, and never looked nervous.
India likes that he can bat for a long time, especially when they want to score more than 400 runs. The Shubman Gill Edgbaston Century not only gave the batters around him confidence but also helped them stay calm. It set the stage for what India hopes will be a performance that ties the series.
In conclusion, what’s next for each team?
India will try to take control of the first sessions on day two, thanks to the Shubman Gill Edgbaston Century. If they can add 100 to 150 more runs, England will be under a lot of pressure. Runs on the board could decide the outcome of the match on a pitch that isn’t breaking up.
But England is still in this match. They have an aggressive batting order and have chased down big scores in the past. But they need to get a hit early on day two to keep India under 400.
Both teams have a lot to play for, but India’s steady, strategic play, led by Gill’s century, has given them the early lead.
