New Delhi: Ravindra Jadeja missed out on a century as a rip-roaring bumper from Josh Tongue on the stroke of Lunch on Day 2 of the Edgbaston Test prevented the India all-rounder from reaching the three-figure mark. Jadeja was looking good for his fifth Test century, but Tongue gave England a much-needed breakthrough and ended a superb partnership of 203 runs for the sixth wicket.
Skipper Shubman Gill, though, held firm and crossed the 150-run mark in the opening session as India added 109 runs to their overnight score to reach 419 for 6 at Lunch.
Jadeja fell short by 11 runs of what would have been one of the best centuries in his career. The left-handed all-rounder mixed caution with aggression expertly in his 137-ball knock, which included 10 fours and a six.
For the second time at Edgbaston, the Saurashtra cricketer was involved in a 200-plus stand for the sixth wicket or lower. In 2022, he stitched a 222-run stand with Rishabh Pant at the same venue.
Can India press home the advantage?
Meanwhile, Gill continued from where he left off on Day 1 and crossed the 150-run mark for the first time in Tests. Largely untroubled by the English bowlers, Gill was cruising towards his maiden double century and went into the Lunch break, unbeaten on 163 off 288 balls, including 18 fours and a maximum.
Nicknamed “The Prince”, Gill’s innings was filled with elegant and classy strokes, but he was also not afraid to play unconventional shots, including the reverse sweep off spinner Shoaib Bashir.
The India captain was joined by Washington Sundar late in the session and was welcomed by the extra bounce of Tongue that posed an immediate threat to the Tamil Nadu all-rounder.
India would now aim to press home the advantage in the second session and not repeat the mistakes of the first Test when the dismal lower-order collapse in both innings allowed England to bounce back into the contest.