Asked by Ian Ward on Sky Sports whether England were complicit in their own downfall, Dinesh Karthik said: “Without a doubt.”
“They fight fire with fire, sometimes they play brilliant shots and you’re thinking: ‘Wow what a shot,’ but other times when they get out, you think: ‘Why are you playing that shot?’
Also speaking to Karthik, Gill said he had been working on a few things since the IPL in preparation for this series. Fair to say they’ve worked.
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That’s it for the day folks. England have rebuilt after losing three quick wickets early in their reply. A 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Joe Root and Harry Brook has taken them from 25 for three to 77 for three after India piled on 587 in their first innings..
Thanks again for your company today on what was largely a day of watching runs, runs and more runs on a flat deck, which then sprung into life after tea. England will be rested up tomorrow after 151 overs in the field, so should be able to bat and bat — it’s still flat but the top order looked a bit mentally fatigued and the new ball was swinging.
Should be a fascinating day’s play tomorrow. Would love it if you joined me for it.
Could be worse, could be Australia
Meanwhile, Australia are now 114 for five against West Indies in the second Test, having just lost another wicket. They won the toss and elected to bat in Barbados, but it’s been a tough session and a half or so.
Shemar Joseph sent down a brutal delivery which Travis Head edged behind. All of Australia’s top five gone now, with Beau Webster and Alex Carey at the crease.
Not quite sure Brook is fully with it at the moment. He’s trying to play to third man with three slips in — that’s got disaster written all over it. He needs to do what he does best here, he’s too frenetic. Root, on the other hand, looks much calmer.
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England still have another 25 minutes or so to negotiate.
It’s been done before…
England have won two games under McCullum having conceded more than 550 — one in Multan last year, and one at Trent Bridge against New Zealand. But boy, does that feel a long way off from where they are at the moment.
Harry Brook brings up the 50 for England with a big heave for six over mid-off, counterattacking Siraj. Only another 537 to go.
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Siraj is going round the wicket to the right-handed Brook, and the Yorkshireman tries backs away to try and cut through point but misses. The ball only just misses the stump,and we can hear on the stump mic Gill saying “it’s all happening, boys!”. He’s not wrong.
Half an hour of play left.
Always loved umpire’s call
Massive shout for lbw — Siraj thinks he’s got Harry Brook, and the rest of the team give a massive appeal too. It’s given not out on the field and India review. The ball went within a hair’s breadth of the bat, but UltraEdge showed no contact. There were questions about height, but Brook was quite far back in his crease. It’s confirmed as umpire’s call so Brook survives.
England had found almost no swing over the last day and a half — India are finding it though. Brook’s first ball swung away from him and only just missed the edge.
And then the next ball he is well beaten, poking at one outside the off stump and it only just misses the edge. There is a bit of movement, and this is a very dangerous last hour of the day for England.
Brook has gone on the counter-attack, trotting down the wicket to Siraj but he can’t quite time it. He’s getting a bit of noise from the slip cordon behind him.
Crawley’s gone now, and England are in big trouble. He’s gone for a big drive off Siraj, clipped it with an outside edge and it’s flown to Nair at first slip. He walks for 19.
This so often happens even on very flat decks — having been in the field for so long England will be fatigued, which can affect the fine margins of judgement, but fair play to India. They have come out fired up and bowling with heat.
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I bet Joe Root didn’t expect to be batting so soon. Akash Deep is on a hat-trick… and Root survives with a push into the off side.
Uh oh. Ollie Pope’s gone. Two in two for Deep. Another snaffle in the slips, although this one was taken at the second attempt for KL Rahul. England are 13 for two and really up against it.
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It’s a pretty dreadful start for England… Duckett’s gone for a duck, edging behind to Gill off Deep, who takes it brilliantly.
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Well, there is a statement of intent. Zak Crawley has dispatched Akash Deep for four on his second ball. Straight down the ground.
And then knocks the next ball through mid-wicket for an easy two.
Deep has gone for 12 in the over, which included a no-ball. Tough start.
England’s openers are making their way out to the middle. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett made 69 and 211 respectively across both innings at Headingley, and will be eyeing big scores here given the state of the pitch.
Little and large don’t have to worry about Jasprit Bumrah today, but Mohammed Siraj is not exactly a village cricketer. A couple of spinners might want to take advantage of some foot marks at either end, particularly to the left-handers…
Akash Deep has the ball, Crawley on strike. Here we go.
It’s over — 151 overs after it began. India are all out for 587 as Mohammad Siraj is stumped having missed one down the leg side off Bashir for eight.
England will have an hour and 40 minutes to bat tonight.
India are keen — the England players hadn’t even got off the pitch and the India slip cordon are on the outfield having balls flung at them.
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Meanwhile, Australia are in trouble again. They’ve slumped to 50 for three against West Indies, both openers are out and Steve Smith on his return is caught at mid-wicket for three. And Cameron Green is yet to score. How long will they persist with him at No3? It’s getting a bit ugly…
Typical isn’t it, you wait all day for a wicket and two come along at once. Bashir tosses one up, and Akash Deep knocks it straight down the throat of Ben Duckett at long on.
Prasidh Krishna has a Test average of 1.25 and a first-class average of 8.39 — doubt he’ll be here long.
There is a bit of turn with the ball gripping a bit which India won’t mind.
He’s gone. He’s finally gone.
The whole of Edgbaston stands to applaud a magnificent innings by the Indian captain. It’s the highest Test innings by an Indian skipper — he’s gone for 269 with Tongue making the breakthrough, a short ball is hooked to square. A slightly tame dismissal but we’re probably near the end of this epic innings. The talk here is they haven’t got enough! That is how mad the Bazball era is.
Time for Tongue to mop up the rest of them.
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We’re back out for the evening session on a lovely summer’s afternoon. Tongue has the ball, and Gill is on strike, pulling through the leg side for a single.
And that, my Lords, ladies and gentlemen, is tea. Time for a brew and a Vicky sponge, or a cold beer if that’s your preference on this sunny day.
564 for seven and on they go. You would though wouldn’t you against this England team — just bat and bat and bat.
Roooooty Toooooooty — partnership breaker. I’ve always said it. In his fourth over he’s broken the mammoth partnership and got rid of Washington Sundar, bowled for 42 from 103 balls.
Perhaps now Josh Tongue can get munching some rabbit pie as we’re into the tail.
Akash Deep joins Gill in the middle, with a first-class average of 11.91. Root’s first ball to him is a bouncer at 73mph — which is quicker than Harry Brook’s seam up.
Things are livening up now.
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Stokes is trying a load of different things here. He gave Harry Brook a crack. Joe Root is now in his second over. Personally, I think he should ask Ben Duckett to have a bowl. He’s taken two first-class wickets in his career — albeit at an average of 49.50. But what’s there to lose?
In amongst all the Barmy Army fun, Shubman Gill surpassed 250 runs. He’s now on 257, the highest score by an Indian Test captain. Wonder if he’s getting bored?
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I’ve just ventured out of the press box to spend a bit of time with the Barmy Army over in the Hollies. They have about 350 people who have booked directly with them, and they all sit together in blocks 24 and 25 of the Hollies stand. They have more than 1,000 Barmy Army faithful attending this Test match across the first four days.
The most important of the contingent is Finchy the trumpeter. Now in his fifth season as the Barmy Army’s dedicated brass man, he took over from Billy Cooper, who had done the job since 2004.
With India piling on the runs on a flat pitch, it is Finchy’s job to try and rouse the crowd. All of the England players have said publicly on a number of occasions how much they appreciate the noise the Barmy Army make and the songs they sing and how much they as players actually enjoy being posted out in the deep in front of the Hollies stand.
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“My job is to get the fans singing. Sometimes it is harder than others because sometimes, particularly at home Tests, people don’t always know the words to our player specific songs so I have to go back to the old favourites such as The Great Escape but Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett’s song for example have really caught on”.
Finchy has his work cut out as India are currently 547 for six, but what he has observed both here and at Headingley in the first Test people are “absolutely absorbed by the cricket” in this series.
He adds: “They aren’t just drinking and partying, they are actually sitting watching the cricket because there is such quality on show.”
“It’s a big year for cricket,” Dan Brown, one of the Barmy Army’s marketing officers told me. “We’ve got a big following with us throughout this series but even bigger for the Ashes. We’ve got 3,000 already booked directly with us on travel packages. Melbourne and Sydney are the most popular as they obviously fall in the Christmas holidays, but there’s also going to be a big following at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
“It has been massive since we went live with our travel packages. We will have a big contingent there. People are so excited about it because obviously they couldn’t’ go to the last one because of Covid. There is so much pent up excitement — people have been waiting for this for eight years.”
Finch is celebrating his 52nd birthday at Edgbaston today, and has played for the likes of Liam Gallagher, Beyoncé and Florence & the Machine
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Finchy won’t be on duty in the third Test, as Lord’s don’t allow musical instruments. However, last year, for the first time, they allowed a dedicated block for Barmy Army fans to all sit together. They’re allowed to go through their repertoire of songs even if they have to do it a capella, but being allowed to have a dedicated block of seating is “progress” and “has been brilliant for the atmosphere”, Brown told me.
England are losing the plot in the field here. A wider one from Carse doesn’t quite bounce as much as expected, and slides under Jamie Smith for four byes. One of those days.
Shubman Gill’s record-breaking innings keeps getting better. He’s 229 not out, third on India’s all-time individual Test scores against England, and the highest made in England.
Top of the list is Karun Nair, who made 303 not out at Chennai in 2016. His next highest Test score? The 31 he made here yesterday. He’s absolutely lethal once he gets past 32.
Having shipped 12 runs in his first over, Brook has stemmed the tide, only going for three in his second. Great response from a proper bowler.
Brook’s only wicket is Kane Williamson, in Wellington in February 2023
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After drinks, Brook has the ball again. Imagine if he got rid of Gill…
A sign of how desperate England are becoming? Or just giving the bowlers a rest from being hammered around by Gill? Either way, Harry Brook is into the attack, and has gone for 12.
Gill makes double century
Gill has been on 199 for 13 minutes.
But there it is — the Indian captain is more than leading from the front with this innings. He’s played beautifully. His maiden double Test hundred and it has come off Josh Tongue with a tickle down to fine leg. It’s come off 311 balls, with 21 fours and two sixes. He comes thundering down the pitch and roars with delight, before delivering his trademark theatrical bow.
Yes, the pitch is flat but that is a magnificent innings.
Josh Tongue has been sharp today — into the mid-90s mph at some points.
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Nice little stat there on Sky Sports about this exceptional innings from Shubman Gill — it’s the highest Test score by an India captain in England.
India really should be looking to reach 500 here with four wickets in hand.
A bit of news from the England Women camp. The captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is due to go for scans on a groin issue, and will miss the next T20 match against India, but could be out for longer. Tammy Beaumont will captain in her absence at the Oval tomorrow. India lead the five-match series 2-0.
The players are back out on the field after the lunch break, with Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar in the middle, with the captain on strike. Shoaib Bashir is going to return from the Birmingham End. Sundar is being watchful at the moment, quite happy to prop forward and defend anything on length.
A wicket. An actual wicket. Jadeja gets in a tangle after a bit of extra bounce off a short one from Tongue. And that maybe opens the door. Jadeja goes for 89 bringing to an end that mammoth partnership.
Now for a first look at Washington Sundar.
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That’s the 200 partnership up, as Gill plays a huge sweep behind square that sails over the boundary for six of Bashir. Earlier in the over, Jadeja trotted down the pitch and deposited it down the ground. Tough going for the 21-year-old.
Thoughts here are turning to what is for lunch. And here is the answer.
See anything you fancy?
Nothing going England’s way
It sums up how things are going that from a very simple defensive block shot, the ball pings off Jadeja’s bat — which seems to have a very good middle — and races to the boundary.
Stokes has two catching mid-ons for Tongue to Jadeja but he’s not falling for it at the moment.
This is very, very tough going for England. The pitch is very flat. Tongue is on from the pavilion end, but the partnership is now up to 177 and despite some funky field placings, no real chances have come along.
Carse’s speeds were well down during his last spell, and it sounds like he’s having some bother with his troublesome toe.
Carse’s big toe on his left foot has caused him plenty of issues. He said earlier in the summer that he had considered amputating it
ANDY KEARNS/GETTY IMAGES
There’s the 150 for Shubman Gill, brought up with a quick single off Bashir. He scampers away before raising his bat to the appreciative crowd, and embraces his partner Jadeja in the middle. It’s his maiden 150 in his 34th Test match, and he makes it having come three runs short at Headingley in the first Test. He’s the first Indian to reach the total at Edgbaston.
Questions were asked there about his captaincy in the field, but as a batsman he’s excelled in these first two matches.
The big worry for England is that it looks rather likely that he will convert it to 200 before too long.
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That’s drinks. It’s been a decent first hour for the visitors, adding 55 in the first hour without losing a wicket. Gill and Jadeja are looking very settled with the partnership now at 154. It’s a bit tricky to see where a wicket is coming from, to be honest.
Stokes trying to make a change
Gill slaps Carse for back-to-back boundaries, and Stokes is trying to make a few manipulations to his field, just to try and make something — anything — happen.
It’s getting warmer at EdgyB (don’t worry, that’s the one and only time I will call it that) but the crowd need something to get them going — either wickets or beer — or both.
The partnership between Gill and Jadeja has not passed 150, and England just don’t seem to know how to break it.
Laboured start for England
I’m afraid not loads is happening out there at the moment. Frustrating for England that the new ball hasn’t made a breakthrough.
India bring up 350 and Gill marches on in his own understated way. He’s just clipped Carse beautifully through the leg side, beautifully timed.
A capacity crowd at Edgbaston watches on
SCOTT HEPPELL/AP
Here comes the spinner Bashir, who got the important wicket of Rishabh Pant yesterday for a tame 25 by the batsman’s standards. England would love him to take another big wicket here.
Simon Finch, the Barmy Army trumpeter in the Hollies has struck up a rendition of Gary Numan’s Cars, to greet the announcement of Brydon Carse being brought on to bowl. He was struggling with a bit of a limp, attributed to a long-term foot injury, so let’s see how he does on day two.
Incidentally, it’s Simon’s 52nd birthday today. Surely there aren’t many better ways to spend a special occasion than a day on the Hollies.
There’s the half-century for Ravindra Jadeja. He brings it up with single after a tap into the leg side off Woakes, and swings his bat around in his customary celebratory manner.
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His 23rd Test fifty has come off 80 balls, further cementing this sixth-wicket partnership, which is now worth 119. A very handy innings from the all-rounder alongside his captain to keep India nice and stable here.
Edgbaston is looking an absolute picture.
Evidence in this first over of that bit of extra bounce. The umpire is having a look at where Stokes is running in his follow through, and has had a bit of a word to warn him he is straying into the danger zone.
Carse was hobbling last night — he has had all sorts of issues with his toe over the last year, and has had to have some different boots made.
It is, unsurprisingly, Woakes who opens up from the other end. He bowled beautifully yesterday and was unlucky to only get two wickets, thanks to umpire’s call. He’s clipped for four through the leg side by Jadeja straight away.
The England players are out, it’s nice and bright overhead and we’re ready to go again. Gill and Jadeja touch gloves on the boundary and make their way into the middle, resuming on 114 and 41 respectively.
Remember, England took the new ball last night, and it’s only five overs old. Ben Stokes is about to open from the pavilion end, with Shubman Gill on strike. The captain gets a quick one almost immediately, and the hundred partnership comes up.
Woakes frustrated by umpire’s call
It takes a lot to get Chris Woakes angry, but umpire’s call got him pretty close yesterday. He was denied twice by the technology after two decisions given not out on the field were sent upstairs by Ben Stokes. On both occasions the dreaded amber of the umpire’s call saved the Indian batsman on whether or not the ball was hitting the wickets.
Watch his full press conference from yesterday below.
‘We’re in a good mindset’
Yashasvi Jaiswal denied rumours of unrest in the India dressing room over selection for the Edgbaston Test.
See his full press conference from yesterday evening below.
Both teams are on the outfield going through their warm-ups. The ground staff are leaning on the heavy roller, and the Sky chaps are broadcasting from their expensive iPad on wheels by the boundary. The crowd are steadily drifting in and the bars are already doing a nice bit of business.
Yesterday, the 14-year-old superstar Vaibhav Suryavanshi set a new India Under-19 record with a blazing knock against England Under-19 at Wantage Road — he hit nine sixes in a whirlwind innings of 86 off 31 balls that helped India to a four-wicket victory to go 2-0 up in the series. There were some half-serious jokes in the press box yesterday that he might be in the India Test team by the time we reach the fifth Test at the Oval at the end of July.
Ben has the Beefy about him
Steve James, at Edgbaston
The delivery to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal had not been one of Ben Stokes’ most venomous offerings, but players of his standing and influence — think of Ian Botham or Andrew Flintoff, with whom Stokes drew level here with 219 Test wickets for England — can conjure mistakes from thin air with their golden arms. This was what Stokes had done here to take India’s third wicket on a flat pitch. Jaiswal was crestfallen. Some words had been exchanged between the pair earlier and now Stokes had definitively had the final word.
India selection scrutinised
Much was made of the visitors’ team selection at the toss yesterday, when we heard that Jasprit Bumrah had been left out to “manage his workload”, according to the India captain Shubman Gill.
The all-rounders Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep were the three changes made, replacing Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur and Bumrah.
Have they been too defensive? And was it the right time to rest the world’s best bowler when the series could so easily get away from them after just two matches?
Woakes leads attack impressively but centurion Gill keeps Test in balance
Mike Atherton, at Edgbaston
It was only a little more than a week ago, on the opening day of the Headingley Test, that Shubman Gill drank in the glory, celebrating a hundred in his first match as India’s captain. Here, on a warm Edgbaston afternoon, he added a second, bowing in dutiful acknowledgment to the dressing room as he had done at Leeds. India’s young captain looks cherubic, but is clearly made of stern stuff.
Shubman Gill made his second century in as many Test matches yesterday, with a commanding, mature and patient innings that has given his team an excellent foundation on which to build.
He’s 114 not out off 216 deliveries overnight, alongside Ravindra Jadeja who is 41 not out off 67.
Can the captain keep building under sunny skies this morning?
Good morning from a glorious Edgbaston, where there is barely a cloud in the sky and the temperatures are a very pleasant 19 degrees at the moment.
As I was arriving to the ground at 8.45am, there were plenty of eager beavers in the queue outside waiting for the gates to open.
It was probably India’s day yesterday but England are still very much in it given what happened at Headingley. They were a bit unlucky and could have had a couple more wickets if umpires calls had gone their way. The pitch is flat and a little bit slow but Stokes is the master of manufacturing wickets by moving his fields around and using different tactics and then once they are batting, there are plenty of Bazbally runs to be had. Should be another fun day.