Shubman Gill Shines as India Dominates England in Second Test

India's Strong Performance at Edgbaston

Birmingham: In a remarkable display, Shubman Gill achieved his maiden century, scoring 168 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja contributed significantly with 89 runs, leading India to a commanding total of 419 for six at lunch on the second day of the second Test against England on Thursday.

The English bowlers struggled to find assistance from the pitch, allowing Gill and Jadeja to capitalize on the favorable batting conditions, forming a formidable partnership of 203 runs off 279 balls.

Starting the day at 310 for five, India added 109 runs in just 25 overs.

The Indian team, led by Gill, aimed to maintain their momentum in the second session and prevent England from staging a comeback, reminiscent of their previous match in Leeds.

With the pitch offering little help, England attempted a short-ball strategy against Gill and Jadeja, which largely failed during the morning session.

Josh Tongue eventually broke through late in the session, dismissing Jadeja with a short ball that resulted in a catch by wicket-keeper Jamie Smith.

Under the bright sun at Edgbaston, Jadeja resumed his innings with an elegant back-foot punch through the covers and a cut shot off Ben Stokes.

Gill opened his account for the day with a boundary through the third man region, followed by a cover drive against Chris Woakes.

It was unexpected to see Gill execute a reverse sweep against spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Later, Gill swept Bashir for a six behind square, while Jadeja also joined in, hitting a maximum over mid-on.

Stokes set an intriguing field when Washington Sundar joined Gill, placing a leg slip and two close-in fielders on the leg side.

The extra bounce generated by Tongue posed an immediate challenge for Sundar.