🏏India tour of England 2025: 2nd Test England vs India - Page 67

Great job by Gill, Akash deep and Siraj. M happy Gill got potm

Jeet gayo re

Jeet gaye

Akash Deep is immediately engulfed by his teammates as he takes the final wicket. After squandering their chance in Leeds, India have vanquished England at Edgbaston to make history with their first-ever win at this venue. They didn't have a single win here in eight attempts previously, but they've broken the jinx in the most emphatic fashion, that too with their most valuable player on the bench. No Bumrah, no problem. Akash Deep stepped in for him and produced a performance for the ages, troubling batters with his nip and skiddiness to pick up ten wickets in the match on a pitch where the England pacers didn't seem anywhere near as threatening.

A stump each for Gill, Akash Deep and Siraj as souvenirs. The visitors barely put a foot wrong in this Test after being put into bat on the first morning. The captain led the way and the lower middle-order stepped up as well to post a mammoth 587 on the board. A major difference between the two teams was what their bowlers did in the window where the ball was still new and hard. While England didn't find the pitch to their liking, the skiddier Indian seamers - led by Akash Deep - targetted the stumps from different angles and got the ball nipping around. England were reduced to 84/5 in the first innings, and to 83/5 in the second. Those two bursts, along with that crucial one with the second new ball to end a rampaging stand between Jamie Smith and Harry Brook put England a long way behind the eight ball, never giving a chance to recover.

What a moment for Gill as well with his first Test win as captain. And hasn't he been just phenomenal with the bat, oozing class and control and making hundreds seem like an inevitability. A hundred in the first Test, a double hundred and hundred in the second, and having his career average jump from 35 to the 40s.

Stokes: Tough one. Two moments. Having them at 200/5 and not being able to burst them open. And then being 80/5 in our reply to India's big 1st innings there is obviously going to be tough to be able to scrape it back from there. You look back at the start of the game, 200/5, if we were able to gets some wickets quicker, things could have been a little different. As the game got deeper and deeper, it sort of turned into a wicket, probably suited India more than us to be honest. Being 80/5 in reply to India's big first innings total is obviously going to be tough from there. We ran in and tried everything, we changed plans and when a team is on top of you, obviously India is a class team. It's always very hard to wrestle back when the opposition is full of world class performers. Shubman has had an unbelievable game with the bat. It is always tough, when you do spend time out in the field, your body is tired and mind is tired. It's upto us individuals and as a team, try and get the best out of the situations. Jamie has been incredible since he came into the team, he has been exceptional with the bat and he goes massively into the radar with his wicket-keeping. Just shows that his natural game and the way him and Harry were able to wrestle the momentum back towards us, I thought it was very very special part of the game to watch from the dressing room. Been another tough week, spend some time in the field and bowlers have run in hard all week again. We got to reset on everything and see where we end up come Lord's.

Shubman Gill, the India captain and the player of the match: "All the things we spoke about after the last game, we were spot on with all of those things. I think the way we came back with our bowling and fielding was tremendous to see. On this kind of wicket we knew that if we got 400-500 runs, it would be enough. Not every game will be like Headingley. [The bowlers] They were magnificent. The way we were able to get through their top order, they bowled brilliantly. Even Prasidh, he didn't get as many wickets but he bowled brilliantly. [On Akash Deep] He hit the right lengths and was getting the ball to move both ways, which was difficult on a pitch like this. He was magnificent for us. I am definitely feeling comfortable with my game and if we are able to win the series with my contributions, it'll be great. As I said before, I want to play as a batsman, and go out as a batsman and make decisions as a batsman. Sometimes you won't take some risks when you're thinking as a captain which you have to do as a batsman. [Bumrah back in Lord's?] Definitely. [On looking forward to Lord's] No bigger honour than to captain your country in a Test match at Lord's."

Bumrah will be back for Lord's as Gill confirmed. Archer was seen bowling earlier today. What a series we have in prospect as we go into the third Test. The only thing missing is a better balance between bat and ball. Let's see how that aspect turns out going forward. For now, India can revel in their achievement and they'll hope that this is the start of a glorious new era under a captain whose bat is doing all the talking.

Congratulations to India for winning the match.

Congratulations Shubman Gill for winning the PoTM award.

Cheers..

Congratulations! Pant saab should throw a bat.