India staged a dramatic comeback on Day 3 of the second Test at Edgbaston, halting England’s charge with the second new ball after being pushed back by a massive 303-run partnership between Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. While India had made a roaring start on Day 3 by removing Joe Root and Ben Stokes in quick succession, with Stokes falling for a golden duck, the momentum shifted sharply as Smith and Brook dug in. Coming together at 84/5, the duo mounted a stunning counterattack. Brook compiled a superb 158 off 234 balls, while Smith showcased remarkable fluency to notch up 184 from just 207 deliveries. Their blend of aggression and control not only steadied England but also kept the Indian bowlers at bay through much of Day 3. Just as the match appeared to tilt in England’s favour, Akash Deep provided India the much-needed breakthrough with the second new ball. The pacer clean bowled Brook with a delivery that breached his defence, setting off a collapse that saw England tumble from 387/5 to 418 all out. They lost their last five wickets for just 31 runs.
In the process, England recorded an unwanted statistical feat. Their six ducks in this innings happened for the first time in England’s history, marking the highest number of players that got out for zero runs in a single innings in a Test. The previous record total was 365 by Bangladesh against Sri Lanka at Mirpur back in 2022. Their final total of 407 also became the lowest all-out score by any team that featured a 300-plus partnership and the highest with six ducks. Meanwhile, the game also brought to light a contrast from the first Test, where India’s 471 all out at Headingley stood as the lowest total ever to include three individual centurions.
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Who was the standout performer for India in the second Test at Edgbaston?
As India returned to bat with a commanding 180-run lead, they now have a prime opportunity to stretch their advantage and potentially put the match out of England’s reach.
