India is on the verge of a series-leveling victory against England in the second Test at Edgbaston, thanks to a historic performance by captain Shubman Gill. Gill's remarkable batting display has put England in a precarious position, with a daunting chase ahead and key wickets already fallen.
England started Day 4 facing an improbable target of 608 runs, a world-record chase, and finished the day at 72-3. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root were dismissed, leaving Ollie Pope and Harry Brook to continue the fight. The dismissals were significant blows to England's chances, with India's new-ball bowlers finding more success than their English counterparts.
Shubman Gill's performance at Edgbaston has been nothing short of extraordinary. In the first innings, he scored a majestic 269, which is the highest score by an Indian captain in Tests, surpassing Virat Kohli's previous best of 254. Gill followed up his double century with an unbeaten 161 in the second innings, becoming the first player to score a double century and a 150+ score in the same Test match. Only Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid have previously achieved centuries in both innings of a Test as Indian captains.
Gill's aggregate of 430 runs in the match is the second-highest by any batter in a single Test, only behind Graham Gooch's 456 against India in 1990. His tally of 585 runs in the first two matches of the series is the second-highest aggregate, behind Graeme Smith's 621 in England in 2003. Gill has also become the seventh batter to score centuries in his first two Tests as captain, joining an elite list including Kohli, Gavaskar, Cook, Smith, Hazare, and McGlew.
India's dominance in the match was also reflected in their first innings total of 587. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja made significant contributions. In the second innings, India declared at 427-6, further solidifying their commanding position.
While a draw remains a theoretical possibility, India is in a strong position to win the Test and level the series. England would need to pull off something extraordinary on the final day to avoid defeat.
The remaining schedule for the series is: Third Test (Lord's): July 10-14, Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): July 23-27, and Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): July 31-August 4.
