Birmingham, July 5: India moved one step closer to levelling the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 1-1 after a dominant Day Four display at Edgbaston, reducing England to 72/3 in their mammoth pursuit of 608 runs. The day belonged to both India’s rising bowling force and their run-machine captain, Shubman Gill, who lit up Birmingham with another masterful knock to pile on the pressure.
After declaring their second innings at 427/6 — built on Gill’s thunderous 161, KL Rahul’s gritty 55, Rishabh Pant’s attacking 65, and a composed unbeaten 69 from Ravindra Jadeja — the Indian seamers got to work immediately under the gloomy afternoon sky.
England, left with the unenviable task of chasing a record total, were rocked early by the raw pace and swing of debutant Akash Deep and the ever-reliable Mohammed Siraj.
Siraj drew first blood in the second over, sending back Zak Crawley for a duck with a peach that straightened just enough to take the edge.
The early blow rattled England’s chase before it had begun. Ben Duckett, showing intent, cracked five boundaries in a brisk 25 off just 15 balls, but his resistance was short-lived. Deep, bowling with energy and purpose, breached his defence with a searing delivery. The young pacer wasn’t done yet. His biggest moment came moments later, when he castled Joe Root — England’s batting backbone — with an absolute jaffa that nipped back and clipped the stumps. At 72/3, England were staring at the mountain of 536 more runs to chase, or more realistically, more than five sessions of survival to save the Test.
The evening session was the culmination of a dominant Indian performance that began earlier in the day. Starting from 64/1, India batted with intent to shut England out of the contest. Shubman Gill, who had already registered a monumental 269 in the first innings, continued in the same vein, bringing up a breezy 161 in just 162 balls. His knock, laced with 13 fours and 8 sixes, was equal parts elegance and aggression, as he put the England attack to the sword. With this, Gill became the first player in Test history to register scores in excess of 250 and 150 in the same match, and his aggregate of 430 runs is now the second-highest in Test history — only behind Graham Gooch’s 456.
Gill’s commanding innings allowed India to bat England out of the game while leaving enough time to bowl them out. His partnerships with Rahul, Pant, and Jadeja ensured that the scoreboard kept ticking even as wickets fell at regular intervals. Pant’s whirlwind 65 off 58 balls was crucial in shifting momentum and accelerating the innings, while Jadeja played the perfect anchor during the late afternoon session.
India’s declaration came with around 90 minutes of play left, giving their bowlers just enough time to use the new ball effectively. Deep and Siraj made the most of that opportunity, exploiting the overcast conditions and movement off the surface. England’s top order, known for its fearless Bazball style, looked rattled by the intensity of India’s pace battery.
Going into Day Five, England now find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, they have chased down some hefty fourth-innings targets — 378 against India at Edgbaston in 2022 and 296 against South Africa among them. But chasing 608 runs would not just rewrite history, it would redefine what’s possible in the longest format. The highest-ever successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket is 418, and England’s task here exceeds that by nearly 200 runs.
Perhaps more realistically, survival and the pursuit of a draw is their only way out. This would mark a significant shift in England’s approach under the current leadership — a team that has worn its aggressive, result-oriented philosophy with pride. Their refusal to play for draws has brought them stunning wins, but now it presents a philosophical dilemma.
Whether England bunker down for a draw or continue their fearless brand of cricket, Day Five promises to test their mental strength, patience, and skill. India, on the other hand, will look to exploit the pressure and conditions to complete a memorable win, propelled by the brilliance of their young leader and a hungry, spirited bowling unit.
As clouds hover over Edgbaston, both literally and figuratively, one thing is certain — this Test has lived up to its billing. With just one day to go, India can smell blood, while England stand at a crossroads — between bravado and pragmatism. (Agencies)
