ENG vs IND, 2nd Test: Majestic Shubman Gill, pacers hand Bazball its sternest test

England vs India, 2nd Test: India's pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj reduced England to 77 for 3 after the visitors posted a commanding 587 in their first innings, thanks to skipper Shubman Gill's record-breaking 269 on day two of the second Test at Edgbaston.

In Short

• Shubman Gill's majestic 269 was the highlight of a fast-scoring Day 2
• India piled on the misery against England by scoring 587 in first innings
• England are 77/3, still trailing India by a massive 510 runs

Captain Shubman Gill walked off the field at Edgbaston with a wry smile—broad, unhurried, and thoroughly earned. His bat had spoken for nearly seven hours, a symphony of stillness and strokeplay, and now, with the baton passed, his bowlers hit the high notes too. On a day when India showed both finesse and fire, England were left scouring their playbook and staring up at a mountain of 510 runs.

Gill's 269 was more than just a captain's knock-it was a statement. The highest score by an Indian in Tests on English soil and the most ever by an Indian men's captain in the format. But to speak only of the records would be to miss the poetry. From the first delivery to his last, Gill looked like a man playing in slow motion while the world sped around him-calm, collected, and utterly in command. He had spoken before the series of his ambition to be the standout batter across the five Tests. At Edgbaston, he made that ambition feel like prophecy.

He resumed day 2 with Ravindra Jadeja, their partnership already blooming. Together they drained England's bowlers session after session. Their sixth-wicket stand grew to 203 before Jadeja, ever the aggressor, fell for 89, undone by a Josh Tongue bouncer that kissed his glove on its way to the keeper. Washington Sundar took up the mantle, and with Gill gliding on, they stitched another 144. By then, India were not just in the lead-they were writing history.

ENG vs IND, 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights

Gill's double hundred came with the gentlest of flicks off his pads, a shot that mirrored his innings-fluid, graceful, and full of intent. He had milked Bashir for singles with the ease of a senior at nets, caressed Brydon Carse through cover and mid-on like a painter stroking canvas, and treated Harry Brook's military-medium with barely disguised contempt. There was no rush, no panic, just rhythm and quiet authority.

When India were finally bowled out for 587, Gill had faced 387 balls, offered one real chance-and even that, a miscued pull late in the day. Then, as if to script his day further, he returned to the field and, just four deliveries into England's innings, took a blinder at third slip-diving to his left to pouch Ben Duckett's edge off Akash Deep. From bat to hands, it was still very much Gill's show.

AKASH, SIRAJ MAKE EARLY INROADS

Akash Deep, stepping in for Bumrah, wasn't content with a mere supporting role. His very next delivery shaped away and caught Ollie Pope groping—KL Rahul completed the catch on the second attempt. Pope, so assured at Leeds, now had two low scores in a row. Mohammed Siraj then produced a beauty to find Zak Crawley's edge-hard hands, no feet, all too familiar. England, after draining 151 overs in the field, found themselves 25 for 3 and still 362 short of avoiding the follow-on.

Joe Root dug in while Harry Brook decided to fight fire with flash. Having survived an lbw shout that went umpire's call, Brook danced down to Siraj and flat-batted him through extra cover, then lofted him for six over long-off. He ended unbeaten, having stitched a 52-run stand with Root. But the deficit remained a gaping 510.

None of it could take the gloss off Gill's day. From a middling average before this series to now wearing the look of a settled No.4 and captain-in-command, his transformation has been remarkable. That innings wasn't simply a coming-of-age-it was a coronation.

SUNDAR, JADEJA FRUSTRATE ENGLAND

The platform, of course, was shared. Jadeja brought his typical mix of swagger and substance. Early in the morning, he lashed Stokes through the covers, and in a lighter moment, the two shared words over Jadeja's dart-and-stall running style, with umpires cautioning both. He fell just before lunch, gloving Tongue down the leg side, but his 89 had already drained England.

Washington Sundar had a jittery start against the short-ball barrage, but after lunch, he countered with conviction. A pull-over deep square-leg for six showed he wasn't going to be pinned back. He let Gill dominate, held up an end, and offered exactly what India needed-stability.

With Stokes managing his own workload and Chris Woakes barely used after the first spell, England were forced to turn to a mix of Bashir, Brook and Carse. It was Root, under-bowled all day, who finally ended the Gill-Sundar stand with an off-break that drifted past the edge and kissed middle stump.

Gill's own dismissal came not long after tea. For seven hours he had offered no gifts; now, he mistimed a pull to square leg. England could finally breathe-but only just. Bashir picked up the last two wickets, but the damage was done.

In a series that promised Bazball versus resilience, Day Two at Edgbaston belonged to the latter-and to Shubman Gill. There was flair, yes. But above all, there was a fight. England may have brought swagger to the series, but it was Gill who brought substance.

- Ends