Birmingham– Yashasvi Jaiswal fell just short of a century, scoring a composed 87, while captain Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 42 as India reached 182/3 in 53 overs at tea on Day 1 of the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
The afternoon session saw a return to traditional, attritional Test cricket, with India adding 84 runs in 28 overs. Though Jaiswal missed out on what could have been his sixth Test hundred, Gill showcased immense patience in his 109-ball knock, which included only three boundaries. Rishabh Pant, unbeaten on 14 off 28 deliveries, joined Gill at the crease as India prepared to build on their platform in the final session of the day.
After lunch, Gill and Jaiswal kept the scoreboard ticking by rotating strike efficiently. Jaiswal added a boundary by slicing over the slips, while Gill found the rope twice through the gully region — both off edges — as he was thoroughly tested by Chris Woakes, who repeatedly targeted his front pad from around the middle stump.
Gill, standing outside his crease, responded with solid forward defense, nullifying Woakes’ probing line. As Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir entered the attack, both Indian batters capitalized with a boundary each and brought up a fifty-run partnership.
However, England skipper Ben Stokes once again produced a crucial breakthrough out of nowhere. Jaiswal attempted to cut a delivery outside off but got a faint edge through to keeper Jamie Smith, giving England a much-needed wicket. Stokes celebrated with visible delight.
Gill continued to work the singles around the field, while Pant adopted a cautious approach, respecting the bowlers before eventually stepping down the track to loft a Bashir half-volley over long-on for six. The duo added a few more singles before the tea interval.
Brief Scores (at Tea, Day 1):
India 182/3 in 53 overs
(Yashasvi Jaiswal 87, Shubman Gill 42*; Rishabh Pant 14*; Brydon Carse 1-26, Ben Stokes 1-33) vs England (Source: IANS)
