England Aims for Big Runs in Second Test Against India

England's Strategy for Day Three

Birmingham, July 4: Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has suggested that if England aims to score heavily on the third day of the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test, they should take inspiration from Indian captain Shubman Gill, who achieved a remarkable career-high score of 269.

At stumps, England was at 77-3, with Harry Brook not out on 30 and Joe Root on 18, trailing India by 510 runs after Gill's impressive innings helped the visitors reach 587. Butcher noted, "There is a small patch of rough for the spinners, but it is not very inviting for bowlers. England's batsmen should focus on playing tightly like Gill did and then aim to score freely."

He added, "The pitch is good and should provide a solid day of play. The weather is slightly cooler with a breeze from the west, and the surface remains largely unchanged. Some linear cracking is starting to show in the middle, but I don't expect it to significantly affect play," Butcher commented during a Sky Sports broadcast ahead of the day's play.

Shoaib Bashir, England's off-spinner, who bowled 45 overs and took 3 wickets for 167 runs, expressed a positive outlook about the team's morale after facing a challenging day against Gill. "It was a tough day yesterday, filled with hard work. However, the mood is good. We have Root and Brook, two of the best batsmen currently, and we are confident in their abilities. We are eager to see what today holds," he stated.

Regarding his bowling performance in the series, Bashir remarked, "I feel really good and in control of my game. I've been focusing on a few aspects as I prepared for this Test series. I believe my consistency is improving. The more I bowl, the more experience I gain, which is what I am aiming for."