Indian skipper Shubman Gill showered praise on the pace battery after the visitors registered a mammoth win of 336 runs against England in the second Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Not only is this India’s biggest away win but also their first ever at the venue.
Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj played an instrumental role in India’s triumph, bagging a total of 17 out of the 20 wickets. Deep registered a 10-wicket haul (10-187) and claimed the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in English conditions.
Deep returned with figures of 6-99 in the second innings after taking 4-88 in the first dig. Siraj, on the other hand, took seven wickets in the match, including a six-wicket haul (6-70) in the first essay.
Both Deep and Siraj were right on the money on a placid pitch and breathed down the neck of the England batters, especially with the new ball.
Shubman Gill said in the post-match presentation, “The fast bowlers were magnificent and I think the way we were able to get through the top-order, that was important to us, and both those bowlers bowled brilliantly and even Prasidh, he didn’t get as many wickets as them, but he also bowled brilliantly. He (Akash Deep) bowled with so much heart. The areas and lengths he hit, he was getting the ball to move both ways. On wickets like these, it’s difficult to do that, he was just magnificent for us.”
On the other hand, Gill had a dream Test match as he aggregated 430 runs. Gill scored a magnum opus knock of 269 runs in the first innings, whereas he backed it with another solid innings of 161 runs in the second essay. The Indian captain has already amassed 585 runs in four innings of the ongoing series.
Speaking on his form, Gill said after receiving Player of the Match award, “I’d say I’m feeling comfortable with my game, hopefully if we win the series with my contributions, I’ll feel happier. Everyday is a learning curve for me. Whenever I go out there, I’ve said this before, I just want to play as a batsman and I want to think as a batsman and I want to make my decisions and risk management as a batsman. Sometimes when you are out there and thinking as a captain, you don’t take that risks which I think as a batsman sometimes is necessary.”
The third Test match between India and England will be played at Lord’s, London from 10th July onwards.
