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India builds strong first-innings foundation with unbeaten partnership between Gill and Jadeja on Day 2 in Birmingham
India in commanding position at Edgbaston
IND vs ENG : On Day 2 of the second Test match between India and England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Team India continued to dominate with the bat, reaching 329/5 in their first innings by the end of the first session. Skipper Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten, stitching together a resilient century partnership for the sixth wicket.
Gill brought up a classy century, while Jadeja reached his 23rd Test half-century, providing India with a solid platform after early setbacks on Day 1.
IND vs ENG Gill-Jadeja century stand stabilizes innings
India resumed their innings on Thursday at 310/5, with Gill batting on 114 and Jadeja on 41. The pair immediately picked up where they left off, with Gill taking a single off the first ball of the day to complete the 100-run partnership with Jadeja.
This partnership became crucial after India lost half their side for 211. The fall of Nitish Kumar Reddy—clean bowled by Chris Woakes while attempting to leave a delivery—had exposed the lower order, but Jadeja’s composure and Gill’s leadership steadied the ship.
Jaiswal leads top-order fightback with 87-run knock
After losing the toss and being put in to bat, India had a shaky start. KL Rahul was dismissed for just 2 runs in the opening session on Day 1, falling to Chris Woakes. However, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal counterattacked brilliantly.
Jaiswal forged a 80-run partnership with Karun Nair for the second wicket, with the left-hander looking fluent throughout. He brought up his half-century in style, smashing three consecutive boundaries off Josh Tongue. Jaiswal eventually fell for 87 in the second session, but his innings laid the foundation for India’s recovery.
Middle-order stutter before lower-order resistance
Following Jaiswal’s departure, Karun Nair added 31 valuable runs before losing his wicket. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Reddy, however, couldn’t convert their starts. Pant departed for 25, while Reddy managed only 1 run.
Despite the double blow, Gill remained unshaken and notched up his eighth Test fifty. Jadeja then joined him at the crease and ensured India didn’t lose another wicket for the rest of the day, crafting a 99-run stand by stumps on Day 1 and continuing to pile on the runs on Day 2.
Woakes the pick of England’s bowlers
Chris Woakes stood out with the ball for England, picking up two crucial wickets—those of Rahul and Reddy. However, the rest of the English bowling attack struggled to break through the Gill-Jadeja partnership, which kept rotating the strike and punished loose deliveries effectively.
What’s next for Team India?
With Gill eyeing a double century and Jadeja well set, India will look to build a massive first-innings total and put England under pressure. The pitch at Edgbaston has shown signs of slowing down, which could benefit spinners in the later stages. India’s strategy will likely focus on batting England out of the game before unleashing their bowling attack.
