India etched its name in cricket's record books with a phenomenal batting display against England in the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The visitors, after being put in to bat, amassed a formidable total of 587, showcasing remarkable resilience and batting prowess. This was India's highest Test total in England in 35 years.
The cornerstone of this incredible performance was a magnificent double century from skipper Shubman Gill. Gill played an exceptional innings of 269 off 387 balls, registering his maiden double hundred in Test cricket. His knock was a blend of class, composure, and sheer dominance, leaving the English bowlers searching for answers. It was a historic effort that saw him become the first Indian and Asian captain to score a Test double hundred in England, and also the highest individual scorer for India on English soil, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's 221 at The Oval in 1979. He broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most runs scored outside the Indian subcontinent.
Gill's record-breaking innings was not a lone effort. He received valuable support from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who contributed a solid 87, and Ravindra Jadeja, who fell just short of a century with 89. Gill and Jadeja forged a 203-run partnership for the sixth wicket, further demoralizing the English side. Later, Washington Sundar chipped in with a handy 42, ensuring India crossed the 500-run mark. This was just the second time a visiting team had two century partnerships for the sixth wicket or lower in a Test innings in England, after West Indies at Trent Bridge in 1957.
India's remarkable recovery after the fall of the fifth wicket is particularly noteworthy. At 211/5, the situation looked precarious, but the lower middle order responded magnificently, adding 376 runs. This is the most India have ever scored after the fall of the fifth wicket in a Test innings, surpassing the previous best of 370 against West Indies in Kolkata in 2013.
Shubman Gill broke several records during his innings:
The Indian bowlers capitalized on the strong batting performance by taking early wickets. Akash Deep, making his debut in place of the rested Jasprit Bumrah, struck twice in two balls to remove Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope. Mohammed Siraj then dismissed Zak Crawley, leaving England reeling at 25/3. At the end of the second day, England were 77/3, trailing by a massive 510 runs. Joe Root (18) and Harry Brook (30) offered some resistance, but India remained in a commanding position.
While England mounted a comeback on Day 3, the strong foundation laid by India's terrific batting performance in the first innings put them in a very strong position to win the test.
