NEW DELHI: The inclusion of Akash Deep in place of Jasprit Bumrah turned out to be a masterstroke for India and captain Shubman Gill. The pacer opened the bowling and conceded 12 runs in his first over, but when he returned for his second, he looked like a completely different bowler.He began the over with three dot balls before striking gold. Akash dismissed Ben Duckett for a duck with a length delivery outside off. Duckett attempted a punch but only managed a thick outside edge that flew straight to Gill at third slip.What followed was even more sensational — Akash struck again on the very next ball, removing Ollie Pope for a golden duck. Bowling full and angling in on off, he induced a thick leading edge from Pope’s attempted flick. The ball flew to KL Rahul at second slip, who juggled before completing the catch on the second attempt.Akash Deep erupted in celebration, leaping into the air and punching the sky, having delivered two crucial blows in two balls to put India on top.India had lost the opening Test at Headingley by five wickets and came into this match at Edgbaston trailing 0-1 in the five-match series.Earlier in the day, Shubman Gill produced a knock for the ages — a majestic 269 that propelled India to a commanding total of 587 in 151 overs. From a shaky 211/5, such a score seemed improbable. But Gill rose to the occasion with a career-best performance that will be remembered for years to come.
Gill’s innings was a mix of grit, composure, and sheer class. He batted for over eight hours, crafting the highest-ever score by an Indian batter in Tests in England and the highest by an Indian Test captain. His knock was laced with 30 fours and three sixes, showcasing his technical precision in attack and defence alike.It was a defining effort that not only steadied India’s innings but also stamped Gill’s authority as a leader in red-ball cricket. His 269 is now the seventh-highest individual score by an Indian in Test history and made him only the second Indian captain after Virat Kohli to score a double century in England.
