Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy: Captain's knock by Gill saves India in Day 1 of Edgebaston Test; questions remain over team selection

Birmingham: Shubman Gill played a captain’s knock for a second game in succession but debatable selection decisions by the Indian team management, coupled with England’s uncanny ability to rise when the tide is flowing against them, saw the hosts sign off an engrossing opening day of the second Test the happier lot here on Wednesday.

Shouldering responsibility like a skipper should, and batting with immense maturity after the quick dismissals of Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy a little while after tea, 25-year-old Gill ensured India didn’t bungle up completely against a gritty England with a beautifully composed seventh Test century at a sold-out and noisy Edgbaston.

Hardly playing a loose stroke in brilliant batting conditions and well aware of how important his innings would be in the larger context of the game after the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) threw it away following all the hard work, Gill struck a dogged unbeaten 114 (216b, 12x4) to take India to 310/5 at stumps. T seasoned Ravindra Jadeja gave him company with an equally fighting 41 not out. The duo forged an unbroken 99-run partnership.

Gill, who in the pre-match press conference admitted he needs to be more careful with his shot selection following his dismissal in the first innings of the Leeds Test that triggered a sensational collapse, did exactly what he said. He saw from the non-strikers’ end how Jaiswal, looking on course for a second straight century and his fourth versus England, and Pant played loose shots that brought about their downfalls. With KL Rahul and Karun Nair too back in the hut earlier in the day, he knew he, being the only specialist batter remaining, had to take all the responsibility. And he did so in exemplary fashion, becoming the third India captain with hundreds in consecutive Tests against England after the great Vijay Hazare and Mohammad Azharuddin.

At the start of his innings, he was very watchful as Jaiswal started to open his shoulders after having done all the hard yards in a probing first session where England’s lead pacer Chris Woakes asked several difficult questions with his sharp pace, late swing, and bounce off a good length. Gill just opted to defend but didn’t get sucked into a shell with the occasional boundary and quick singles.

Very bizarrely, he started to up the tempo after Pant played a false shot and got out right after tea. India even lost all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy cheaply, and at 211/5 with just the bowlers to follow, the visitors were in trouble. England skipper Ben Stokes, who was exceptional with his field placements and rotational of bowlers, sensed blood, but Gill, along with Jadeja, were up for the challenge. The Indian skipper trusted his attacking game and started to play his shots a lot more. The drives, the cuts and pulls — all in complete control — flowed as he countered England with controlled aggression. There simply weren’t any shots in anger, that expression coming out only when he swept Joe Root to reach his century late in the day.

Gill knows it’s only half the job done. England have taken the new ball and Thursday morning will offer them the perfect conditions to exploit it. And beyond him, Jadeja and Washington Sundar, picked for this game ahead of attacking spinner Kuldeep Yadav largely due to batting abilities, there isn’t much batting left. Gill will need to turn his century into a ‘daddy hundred’ or a double to give India hope on a track that is tailor-made for England’s dashing batters to go full tilt. A riveting second day awaits.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA (I Innings):

Jaiswal c Smith b Stokes 87

(107b, 13x4)

Rahul b Woakes 2

(26b)

Nair c Brook b Carse 31

(50b, 5x4)

Gill (batting) 114

(216b, 12x4)

Pant c Crawley b Bashir 25

(42b, 1x4, 1x6)

Nitish b Woakes 1

(6b)

Jadeja (batting) 41

(67b, 5x4)

Extras (B-1, LB-4, NB-4) 9

TOTAL (for 5 wkts, 85 overs) 310

Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Rahul), 2-95 (Nair), 3-161 (Jaiswal), 4-208 (Pant), 5-211 (Nitish).

Bowling: Woakes 21-6-59-2 (nb-1), Carse 16-2-49-1, Tongue 13-0-66-0, Stokes 15-0-58-1 (nb-3), Bashir 19-0-65-1, Root 1-0-8-0.