Birmingham [UK], July 4 (ANI): Following a hard day in the field, England spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel hailed Indian skipper Shubman Gill for his “masterclass” double ton, saying that it left bowlers and fielders tired.
Gill produced a knock for ages, breaking several records with a 387-ball 269 on day two at Birmingham on Thursday.
Speaking about the knock in the post-day presser, Jeetan said, “He has put on a proper masterclass in how to bat on a good wicket. But the guys threw everything at him, and rightly so, very tired after their efforts.”
“But I think to take 10 wickets on that, for us anyway, has been fantastic. And they have shown that it seems like a little bit of a new ball wicket where it can do a little bit to start. No one really knows how the older ball can react in days from now,” added Jeetan while appreciating India’s bowling and praising his bowlers too.
Jeetan also lauded Team India bowlers for using the new ball well, especially after staying away from bowling duties for a day and a half.
“I think we did the same yesterday (using the new ball well), it just did not go our way, I suppose. And it may have been a little bit different if we did get those opportunities (missed reviews and chances), but that was yesterday, and today’s today. So there is obviously another day tomorrow where we will come in, hopefully, as shown so far, the older ball has got softer, and it hasn’t done as much, and been harder to get the ball to go sideways,” he added.
At the end of the day’s play, England was 77/3, with Joe Root (18*) and Harry Brook (30*) unbeaten.
England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett came to the crease with a task to overcome a massive deficit of 587 runs set by India in the first innings. Crawley put out a statement of his positive intent with two boundaries against Akash Deep in the first over.
However, the seamer got the last laugh against the batters, removing both Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks on two successive balls in the third over, reducing England to 13/2.
Joe Root joined Crawley; however, the partnership did not last too long as Mohammed Siraj’s short of length outside off delivery went straight into Karun Nair’s hands at slips. Crawley walked back for a 30-ball 19, reducing England to 25/3. Root and Brook guided England through the remainder of the session without any wickets lost, forming an unbeaten fifty-run stand.
At Tea, India was 564/7, with Gill (265*) and Akash Deep (0*) unbeaten.
India kickstarted the second session at 419/6, with Gill (168*) joined by Washington Sundar (1*).
Washington and Gill moved cautiously for the first few overs, before Gill let his hands loose against Shoaib Bashir’s spin and Josh Tongue’s pace, fetching himself two fours and a six within a matter of eight deliveries.
Gill’s boundary towards deep backwards square leg brought up 450 runs for India in 117.3 overs.
Gill was stuck on 199 as Washington Sundar collected a four and six against Tongue in the 120th over.
Finally, with a single off Tongue’s delivery on the first ball of the 122nd over, Gill reached his maiden double ton in Test cricket, bringing down an array of records and becoming only the third Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to do so.
After reaching the milestone, Gill got even more free-flowing, unleashing a brilliant reverse sweep and a beautiful glide against Bashir for two successive fours and smashing Harry Brook’s part-time medium pace for a hat-trick of boundaries, including two beautiful drives straight down the ground.
With these, Gill overtook Sunil Gavaskar to register the highest-ever score by an Indian in England.
A cut against Brydon Carse helped India reach the 500-run mark in 127.1 overs. Boundaries just kept flowing as Gill-Sundar reached the century stand for the seventh wicket in just 136 balls.
Gill reached the 250-run mark with a four against Harry Brook, in 348 balls, with 29 fours and three sixes.
Joe Root’s part-time spin delivered the magic for England, as he uprooted Washington’s stumps for 42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six, ending an incredible 144-run partnership. India was 558/7 in 138.4 overs.
Akash Deep and Gill made sure India did not lose another wicket.
At the end of a largely India-dominant first session, India was 419/6, with Gill (168*) joined by Washington Sundar (1*).
India started the first session at 310/5, with Gill (114*) and Jadeja (41*) unbeaten. On the very first ball of the inning,
Gill collected an easy single to bring up a century stand in 143 balls.
There was no changing this duo’s positive intent and searching for runs, as Jadeja got two boundaries against Chris Woakes in the 87th over.
With a single off Woakes’ delivery, Jadeja completed his 23rd half-century in Test and seventh against England. It came in 80 balls, with six fours. He continued his attacking game, cutting and punching against skipper Ben Stokes’ pace.
India reached the 350-run mark after a single in 94.5 overs. In the 96th over, it was Gill’s time to attack, slicing and driving Brydon Carse as the runs continued to leak, piling up England’s worries.
The 150-run stand came up between Jadeja and Gill before the drinks as India continued to strangulate English bowlers.
Gill continued to produce some exquisite shots, reaching his first-ever 150 in Tests in 263 balls, with 17 fours. It was the second 150-plus score by an Indian captain in England after Mohammad Azharuddin’s 179 at Old Trafford in 1990.
As the innings crossed 100 overs and India marched towards the 400-run mark, a highlight was a smooth reverse sweep played by the Indian skipper against Shoaib Bashir through the vacant backwards point region in the 103rd over. In the 106th over by Bashir, Jadeja’s six on the first ball helped India reach the 400-run mark, while the one on the last ball by the left-hander again helped Gill and him complete a double century partnership.
England’s toil and perseverance finally bore fruit, as a short-ball from Josh Tongue rattled Jadeja, who landed a catch to Jamie Smith, going back for 89 in 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six. India was 414/6 in 107.3 overs.
Washington Sundar joined Gill to end the session without any further loss of wickets.
Brief Scores: India: 587 (Shubman Gill 265, Ravindra Jadeja 89, Shoaib Bashir 3/167) against England: 77/3 (Harry Brook 30*, Joe Root 18*, Akash Deep 2/36). (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
HINDI, MARATHI, GUJARATI, TAMIL, TELUGU, BENGALI, KANNADA, ORIYA, PUNJABI, URDU, MALAYALAM
For more details and packages
