India carved out a commanding first-innings lead of 180 runs on the third day of the second Test at Edgbaston on Friday, thanks to a fiery six-wicket haul from Mohammed Siraj and a crucial four-for from Akash Deep, who together bundled England out for 407. Despite a spirited resistance from England’s middle order, led by the heroic partnership of Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, the visitors ended the day firmly in control.
Resuming under clear skies, India wasted no time in making early inroads. Siraj, bowling with impeccable discipline and venom, struck two decisive blows in the morning session. He first accounted for Joe Root, who edged behind for 22, and then produced a superb rising delivery to send England captain Ben Stokes back for a golden duck. At that stage, England were tottering at 84 for 5, staring down the barrel of a follow-on.
However, what followed was an extraordinary counterattack. Smith, showcasing remarkable poise and aggression, combined forces with Brook to orchestrate a remarkable revival. The pair put on a mammoth 303-run stand for the sixth wicket, rewriting the record books for England against India. Brook played a sublime innings, amassing 158 runs with a blend of elegance and power, while Smith remained unbeaten on a masterful 184, countering everything the Indian bowlers threw at him.
It was Akash who eventually broke the marathon partnership, getting Brook to edge one behind after tea, providing India the much-needed breakthrough. The young pacer then struck again shortly after, dismissing Chris Woakes for a mere 5 runs, pushing England deeper into trouble at 395 for 7.
From there, Siraj returned with the second new ball to wrap up the English innings in ruthless fashion. He cleaned up the tail with clinical precision, removing Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir, all without scoring, to finish with impressive figures of 6 for 70. Akash Deep, meanwhile, ended with commendable figures of 4 for 88, underlining his growing stature as a reliable support act in India’s pace arsenal.
England’s eventual total of 407 in 89.3 overs still left them trailing by a hefty 180 runs, underscoring the dominance of India’s first-innings effort of 587. The hosts, despite the brilliance of Brook and Smith, found themselves undone by incisive spells from Siraj and Akash Deep, whose relentless probing ultimately tilted the contest firmly in India’s favour.
Brief scores: India 1st innings: 587 all out; England 1st innings: 407 all out in 89.3 overs (Jamie Smith 184*; Harry Brook 158; Mohammed Siraj 6/70, Akash Deep 4/88)
