India dominated Day 1 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, finishing at 310/5, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten century from captain Shubman Gill and a solid half-century from Ravindra Jadeja. Gill's composed knock of 114* off 216 balls, his second consecutive hundred as skipper, anchored the innings after India lost their way in the middle session. Jadeja reached his half-century on Day 2.
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that initially paid off with Chris Woakes dismissing KL Rahul early. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Karun Nair (31) steadied the ship with a fluent partnership, before India suffered a mini-collapse, slipping to 211/5. Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Reddy fell in quick succession.
That's when Gill and Jadeja joined forces to resurrect the innings with an unbroken 99-run stand. Jadeja, in particular, played a crucial role, providing stability and contributing a composed 41*. His ability to rotate the strike and maintain a positive intent was praised by former India pacer Varun Aaron. Jadeja reached his half-century early on Day 2.
Shubman Gill's performance was the highlight of the day. The 25-year-old led from the front, displaying maturity and control. He reached his seventh Test century, and second in as many matches, with consecutive sweeps off Shoaib Bashir. Gill's innings was lauded for its composure and leadership, especially after India's mini-collapse. He played with 94 percent control, trusting his defense. If Gill scores 36 more runs on Day 2, he will break Virat Kohli's record of the highest individual score by an Indian in a Test at Edgbaston. Kohli hit 149 runs in 2018.
The pitch at Edgbaston appeared slow, requiring Gill to work hard for his runs. England's bowlers, led by Chris Woakes (2-59), were disciplined early on but struggled to maintain the pressure. India made three changes to their starting lineup for this Test, resting Jasprit Bumrah and bringing in Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep.
Jadeja and Gill's partnership ensured India recovered from a shaky position to end the day strongly. Former India pacer Varun Aaron lauded Ravindra Jadeja for playing a key and composed role with the bat. According to Aaron, Jadeja's calculated aggression shifted momentum back in India's favor.
With India at 310/5 at the end of Day 1, the stage is set for a potentially large first-innings total. India will be hoping that Gill can continue to build on his century and that Jadeja can provide valuable support. India will try to bat for at least one or two full sessions more on Day 2 to post a mammoth first-innings total vs England. The visitors need all the runs they can get if they wish to beat England for the first time at this venue and level the series 1-1.