India thrash England by 336 runs at Edgbaston as Shubman Gill’s young team silences critics and levels the series with a commanding all-round display.
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From Defeat at Headingley to Doubts at Edgbaston: India Defies Expectations
An extraordinary five centuries, a five-wicket haul from the world’s best bowler, and a challenging target of 371 to defend in the final innings — yet India suffered a crushing five-wicket loss at Headingley. The match was dubbed the ‘unlosable’ Test, but somehow, India managed to throw it away.
So how would they perform at Edgbaston, a venue where India had never won in eight attempts and had lost seven times? Especially without their premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah, with England riding high on confidence and India’s morale shaken after Leeds?
Questions swirled around the Indian bowling attack’s ability to dismiss England twice on another flat track — a hallmark of the aggressive Bazball style. Despite their batting firepower, many feared India would be overwhelmed by England’s dominant batting. Yet, those doubts were spectacularly proven wrong.
Shubman Gill’s India arrive
India’s 336-run triumph over five commanding days at Edgbaston stands as one of the most memorable wins in their Test history. While it may not rival the legendary Kolkata comeback against Australia in 2001 or the miraculous Brisbane victory in 2021, it firmly belongs among India’s finest.
This victory came under a young captain, Shubman Gill, only in his second Test as leader. The bowling attack—apart from Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja—lacked experience, with none besides them having even 30 Test wickets. The management made bold choices, including leaving out wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and opting for Washington Sundar over Sai Sudharsan, even without Jasprit Bumrah. Yet Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir clearly had a plan and executed it perfectly. On a flat pitch, gifted by Ben Stokes, and against an England side confident in their fourth-innings chases, India set an imposing target of 608—well beyond England’s reach.
This win sets the series up beautifully at 1-1 with three Tests to go, and Bumrah returning for two of them. England’s response—adding paceman Gus Atkinson to their squad and taking an extra rest day before Lord’s—signals their physical strain and respect for India’s threat. India’s batting, led by Gill’s prolific 585 runs from four innings, is flourishing. But it’s the bowling attack that has truly made a statement.
Mohammed Siraj’s six for 70 in the first innings and Akash Deep’s relentless attack—four wickets in the first innings followed by six for 99 in the second—have silenced critics who once saw India as a one-man army. While Siraj and Deep may face challenges replicating such heroics, their performance has proven they can lead the attack.
For Shubman Gill, this victory is a huge confidence boost, reinforcing his belief as a capable captain and leader. For the team, the win carries a powerful message: belief and perseverance pay off. For a young, evolving squad playing together for the first time in England, this against-all-odds victory—marked by flair, authority, and dominance—signals an encouraging start to their journey.