Fast bowler Akash Deep completed a 10-wicket match haul as India dismissed England for 271 on the final day of the second Test at Edgbaston to win by 336 runs and level the five-match series.
Jamie Smith (88 off 99), who followed up his first-innings 184, and skipper Ben Stokes (33) delayed the tourists’ with a stand of 70 from a Deep-inflicted 83-5 – a partnership snapped on the stroke of lunch when Stokes was pinned lbw by Washington Sundar.
Smith kept England just about afloat in the second session, adding 46 with Chris Woakes (7), only to then hole out off Deep attempting a third six in a succession, undone by a corking slower ball as the India quick clinched his maiden Test five-for.
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Jamie Smith was in fine form during his over against Akash Deep but it was the Indian bowler who had the last laugh as he claims his fifth wicket of the second Test
Deep then made that six, and 10 for the match, by taking the winning wicket – Brydon Carse (38 off 48) spooning to India skipper Shubman Gill at cover after some lusty blows – after Mohammed Siraj held on to a screamer at midwicket to remove Josh Tongue (2).
The game was done before tea and the series is now all square heading to Lord’s for the third Test from Thursday, live on Sky Sports Cricket (on-air from 10am, first ball at 11am).
India’s win, their first in Birmingham in nine attempts after seven defeats and a draw, came just under two weeks after they had lost the series opener at Headingley as England pulled off their second-highest chase of 371.
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Akash Deep claimed his sixth wicket of the day and his 10th of the second Test as India the second Test at Edgbaston
Talk before play on Sunday had centred on whether England, 72-3 overnight in a record chase of 608, would really target a number so stratospheric – and perhaps even impossible – or instead play out for what would have been just the second draw in the Bazball era.
Any thoughts of a win were all but eradicated by morning rain that shaved 10 overs off the allocated 90 and meant it took until 12.40pm for the cricket to begin – and prospects of a draw for the hosts were then largely vaporised by a vicious spell from the electric Deep.
Deep, picked in place of rested seam-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, forced Ollie Pope (24) to chop onto his stumps in the fourth over of the day and then pinned Harry Brook (23) lbw in the sixth with a sizzling delivery that seamed in and stayed low.
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The impressive Deep removed Ollie Pope and Harry Brook early on day five after a delayed start due to rain
Deep’s dismissals of Brook, Pope and latterly Smith followed his wickets of Ben Duckett (25) and Joe Root (6) the previous evening and fine figures 4-88 in England’s first innings and he now looks nailed on to play alongside a refreshed Bumrah at Lord’s later this week.
Just as earlier in the game, England wicketkeeper Smith came to the middle in a crisis – that was 84-5 in the first innings, before he smoked an 80-ball ton and stitched a stand of 303 with Brook.
The Surrey man headed to the crease this time with his side one run worse off and impressed again as he took his tally of runs in the match to 272, after successfully overturning an lbw dismissal on 71, off Prasidh Krishna.
Smith was a real bright spot for England in a difficult Test
Gill inspirational as India level series in Birmingham
Had the weather, England or a combination of both prevented India winning this Test, then the length of time it took for visiting skipper Gill to declare would have been poured over ad nauseum.
It would also have taken some of the gloss off his remarkable game with the bat, in which he registered scores of 269 and 161 for 430 runs in total, the second highest in history, behind only Graham Gooch’s 456 for England against India at Lord’s in 1990.
Ultimately, though, the heat diverted to England skipper Stokes, whose decision to bowl first on the most docile of batting decks backfired, with India piling on nigh on 600 and never letting that stranglehold slip, save for when Smith and Brook ran riot on Friday.
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Michael Atherton, Mark Butcher, Paul Newman and Cameron Ponsonby discuss England’s potential attack for the third Test
Another key aspect of this result was the success of India’s new-ball bowlers compared to England’s and changes look afoot for the hosts ahead of the next match in London.
Jofra Archer is in line to make his Test comeback after an injury-blighted four years with Carse, troubled by the recurrence of a toe complaint, likely to drop out.
Sam Cook, Jamie Overton and, if fit, Gus Atkinson will also come into contention should England want an even bigger refresh.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah looks certain to return for the third Test at Lord’s from Thursday
India will head to Lord’s with the momentum, a replenished Bumrah and the feeling they should be 2-0 up with batting collapses and a catalogue of dropped catches causing them to lose the series opener in Leeds having dominated for long periods.
The series is set up beautifully.
Watch day one of the third Test between England and India, at Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am Thursday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.
England vs India – results and schedule
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports
First Test (Headingley) – England won by five wicketsSecond Test (Edgbaston): India won by 336 runsThird Test (Lord’s): July 10-14Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): July 23-27Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): July 31-August 4
