Play was initially scheduled to begin at 11:00 am, but a heavy downpour just 20 minutes before the start left the Edgbaston outfield dotted with puddles, despite the pitch and square being well protected. The loss of the first 10 overs reduced the day’s quota from 90 to 80
Mohammed Siraj after his five-wicket haul on Day 3 (Pic: AFP)
India’s push for a series-levelling victory on the final day of the second Test against England in Birmingham finally got underway after a rain delay of more than ninety minutes. Resuming in bright sunshine at 12:40 pm local time, India found themselves in a commanding position, with England reeling at 72 for 3 and still requiring an improbable 536 runs to achieve what would be a record fourth-innings chase of 608.
Play was initially scheduled to begin at 11:00 am, but a heavy downpour just 20 minutes before the start left the Edgbaston outfield dotted with puddles, despite the pitch and square being well protected. The loss of the first 10 overs reduced the day’s quota from 90 to 80, slightly narrowing the window for India to capture the remaining seven wickets.
This Test has so far been a personal triumph for India’s young captain Shubman Gill. On Saturday, the 25-year-old etched his name into the record books by becoming the first player in Test history to score both a double century and a 150 in the same match. Gill’s sublime 269 in the first innings laid the foundation for India’s imposing total of 587 after England captain Ben Stokes had opted to bowl first.
England’s reply was largely propped up by a remarkable partnership exceeding 300 runs between Jamie Smith, who remained unbeaten on a magnificent 184, and Harry Brook, who contributed a fluent 158. Their efforts helped the hosts post 407, still conceding a significant deficit. India’s pace duo, Mohammed Siraj (6 for 70) and Akash Deep (4 for 88), were instrumental in keeping England in check.
Not content with his first-innings heroics, Gill produced a blistering 161 off just 162 balls in the second innings, steering India to 427 for 6 declared. This set England an enormous target, far surpassing the highest successful run chase in Test history, the West Indies’ 418 against Australia at St John’s in 2003.
By Saturday’s close, Siraj and Deep had already struck vital blows, reducing England to 72 for 3. Ollie Pope was unbeaten on 24, with Brook accompanying him on 15. With the hosts trailing 1-0 in the five-match series after India faltered while defending 371 at Headingley last week, England now face a monumental task merely to salvage a draw at Edgbaston.
India, on the other hand, stand on the cusp of squaring the series and boosting hopes of clinching only their fourth Test series victory on English soil, following famous triumphs in 1971, 1986, and 2007. The action will quickly shift to Lord’s, where the third Test is set to commence on Thursday.
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