The Edgbaston crowd was treated to a riveting morning session on Day 2 as India tightened their grip on the second Test, courtesy of a masterclass from Shubman Gill and solid support from Ravindra Jadeja. While Gill’s elegant strokeplay stole the show, it was a lighter moment in the middle that left fans in splits.
As England captain Ben Stokes frantically shuffled his fielders, Gill couldn’t resist sharing a cheeky remark with his partner. Turning to Jadeja mid-pitch with a mischievous grin, he quipped, “Kuch bhi laga raha hai, kuch bhi.” The jibe, mocking Stokes’ field placements, was picked up by the stump mic and quickly went viral.
At one stage, Stokes’ leg-side-heavy arrangement resembled more of a casual Sunday gully cricket set-up than a conventional Test match field. With a midwicket, square leg, two deep midwickets, a deep backward square, and a fine leg all crowded on one side, even the commentators seemed baffled, chuckling at the audacity of it all.
Meanwhile, Gill remained unfazed by the bizarre tactics. The young opener was all grace and precision, bringing up a majestic 150 and continuing to anchor India’s innings with poise. Jadeja, ever the perfect foil, kept the scoreboard ticking by deftly rotating the strike and dispatching the odd loose delivery to the boundary. Together, they compiled a formidable 203-run partnership for the sixth wicket, leaving England’s bowlers and fielders chasing leather under the bright Edgbaston sun.
Stokes, celebrated for his aggressive captaincy and penchant for taking bold risks, appeared almost desperate to manufacture a breakthrough on a placid surface offering little assistance. His constantly shifting fields grew increasingly inventive and ultimately did little to disrupt India’s charge.
By the time lunch arrived, India had powered their way to a commanding 419 for six. Jadeja fell just short of a century, dismissed for a well-crafted 89 shortly before the interval, bringing an end to his valuable stand with Gill. Washington Sundar then joined Gill, who stood tall at the crease, eyeing an even bigger score. With the visitors firmly in control, they now look set to push beyond the 500-run mark.
