The Prague Post - Hard work pays off for India captain Gill with double century against England

Gill's majestic 269 was the foundation of India's first-innings 587 at Edgbaston.

And before stumps on the second day they had reduced England to 77-3, a huge deficit of 510 runs.

That actually represented a recovery after Akash Deep, only playing after India rested Jasprit Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, reduced England to 13-2 with two wickets in consecutive deliveries.

The 25-year-old Gill, in just his second Test as skipper, broke India records previously held by batting greats Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

Gill's innings surpassed the recently retired Kohli's 254 against South Africa at Pune in 2019 as the highest score by an India Test captain, and replaced Tendulkar's 241 against Australia at Sydney as the highest score by an India batsman in a Test outside Asia.

It also topped Gavaskar's celebrated 221 at the Oval in 1979 as the largest score by an India batsman in a Test in England.

India lost the first Test of this series at Headingley by five wickets despite several batsmen, including Gill with 147, scoring hundreds.

"I worked on a few things before the series as well, that I thought might be important for me going into Test cricket," Gill told Sky Sports after stumps.

"Looking at the results, they are working for me."

India, bidding for just a fourth series win in England after triumphs in 1971, 1986 and 2007, were made to pay for dropping several chances in Leeds.

But, all three of their wickets on Thursday came via sharp slip catches, with Gill helping Deep dismiss opener Ben Duckett, who made 149 in the first Test, for a duck.

"Getting the catches was really good confidence for us," said Gill.

"Fielding is something we spoke about going into this match. If we were half as good (at Headingley), the result would have been different."

- 'Tired minds and bodies' -

India's total was the highest England have conceded since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces three years ago, with the hosts condemned to a gruelling 151 overs in the field.

"Spending 151 overs in the dirt in any scenario is pretty tough," England assistant coach Jeetan Patel told reporters. "There's some tired minds and tired bodies.

"Credit to Shubman for the way he's batted over two days, it was a masterclass in how to bat on a good wicket."

Draws are not on England's radar in the 'Bazball' era, with Stokes' men having defied cricketing conventional wisdom by winning on three different occasions after conceding over 500 runs.

Former New Zealand spinner Patel, asked if England could turn things round at Edgbaston, replied: "One hundred percent...There is lots of cricket to go on a fast-scoring ground and you never know what can happen."

Patel's confidence is understandable after England chased down an imposing target of 371 to win at Headingley.

But India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who made 89 on Thursday and added 203 for the sixth-wicket with Gill, said: "In cricket, in press conferences, you can talk whatever you want to talk.

"It's none of my business, but at the end of the day you have to go out and perform and take those 20 wickets. That's all that matters."

J.Marek--TPP