England’s top order was blown away after Shubman Gill’s mammoth 269 for India to leave the hosts requiring their most unlikely turnaround yet under captain Ben Stokes after two days of the second Test at Edgbaston.
Gill’s epic helped India pile up 587 and, after five sessions in the field, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley all fell to leave England 77-3 at the close.
Duckett and Pope, England’s centurions from their comeback win in the first Test, were caught in the slips off consecutive deliveries in seamer Akash Deep’s second over.
Crawley wafted at Mohammed Siraj to offer another edge on 19 as India, who faced huge questions coming into this Test, took total control.
Harry Brook was skittish in making 30 not out – he finished alongside Joe Root who has 18 – and could easily have deepened England’s woes.
Gill had earlier effortlessly compiled the highest score by an India batter in England and the highest score by an Indian skipper anywhere in the world.
After resuming on 114, Gill extended his partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to 203 to steer India away from early danger and when Jadeja fell for 89, he put on 144 with Washington Sundar to drive home the advantage.
India were guilty of letting a winning position slip in Leeds, but now hold all of the cards as they bid to level the series.
Akash Deep’s double strike rocked England late on Day Two (Photo: Getty Images)
England face mammoth task
England have made a habit of pulling off the improbable under Stokes, but this was already their toughest task before India’s triple strike.
They have conceded 500 three times under this regime and won on each occasion.
None of those three previous totals were as large as India’s here, however.
In fact, only once has a team conceded so many and lost- New Zealand, who countered Bangladesh’s 595-8 declared to win in 2017.
Although the pitch remains largely good for batting, India’s bowlers found more movement and zip than England’s managed all day.
They did not miss Jasprit Bumrah with Deep stepping up to replace the world’s leading bowler who is resting.
Looking forward, intrigue is added by Stokes’ previous insistence that his side will not play for draws.
Other teams would already be considering that scenario, especially given they hold a series lead, but not England if Stokes is to stay true to his word. (BBC)
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