Tourists’ skipper blazes another incredible century to set up a potentially series-levelling win at Edgbaston
India were closing on an emphatic series-levelling win in the second Test against England as the hosts stumbled to 3-72 at the close on day four chasing an unlikely victory target of 608.
After India captain Shubman Gill had scored another masterful century at Edgbaston, India fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj blew away England’s top order on Saturday
England lost Zak Crawley for a duck when the opener edged Siraj to backward point and Ben Duckett (25) was bowled off an inside edge from Deep that broke the top of his middle stump.
India wasted two reviews but did not let up and picked up the crucial wicket of Joe Root when Deep broke through his defence with a delivery that seamed away and hit off stump.
Ollie Pope (24) and Harry Brook (15) were at the crease at stumps, with England needing 536 runs to complete by far the largest successful run chase in Test history.
After his first-innings double century (269), Gill raced to 161 off 162 deliveries to amass 430 runs in the match and sit second behind England’s Graham Gooch (456 against India in 1990) for the most runs by a batter in a single Test.
Gill’s knock took him past compatriot Sunil Gavaskar’s 344 runs in a Test against the West Indies in 1971 to make the Indian record his own.\
After Gill lost his vice-captain Rishabh Pant (65) following a 110-run partnership, Ravindra Jadeja joined him at the crease and they continued to tire out England’s bowlers.
Pant had entertained the crowd with his extravagant shots to all corners of the ground and he lost his bat on two occasions when it slipped out of his gloves.
He punished the England bowlers after being dropped on 10 but the second time he lost his bat, which landed at midwicket, he gave Duckett an easy catch at long off.
Just as in the first innings – where Gill and Jadeja shared a 203-run stand – they frustrated the England bowlers with a 175-run partnership.
Jadeja (69 no) played slowly at first but once Gill got to his hundred, the pair cut loose and India added 123 runs after tea.
Gill finished with 13 fours and eight sixes, earning a reprieve when Pope lost the ball in the sun’s glare when a catch went up to fine leg.
Shoaib Bashir finally dismissed Gill when a shot lobbed up in the air for an easy caught and bowled.
The crowd expected an immediate declaration but Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar walked out to bat as chants of “Boring, boring India” rang out around Edgbaston.
Jadeja also constantly looked to the pavilion at the end of every over until Gill called his side in, leaving England with a mountain to climb.
