Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy | Shubman Gills scripts his magnum opus at Birmingham; England at 72/3 need 536 to win

Birmingham: On a day when some of the most famous names in heavy metal music like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and Slayer were performing for iconic Birmingham-born band Black Sabbath’s one last gig about five miles away from Edgbaston, Shubman Gill’s extraordinary solo rendition left the cricketing world in complete awe and wondering what more is to come from the young star.

The Indian captain, who composed a magnum opus 269 in the first innings of the second Test against England, entered the league of extraordinary gentlemen with a riveting 161 (162b, 13x4, 8x6) in the second innings — a record-breaking knock that powered India to 427/6 declared. Gill’s once-in-a-lifetime performance that could stand the test of time set England an almost impossible target of 608 and they were left struggling at 72/3 at stumps on the fourth day.

Hailed as the heir to the throne vacated by Virat Kohli, Gill not only snatched the crown exemplarily on a balmy Saturday in the West Midlands, but now finds himself seated at the head of the table. With his eighth Test century and second of the match, Gill matched one and erased another of the two long-standing records in Indian cricket.

Gill became the second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and ninth overall to score a double century and a century in the same Test. Gill (430) also obliterated Gavaskar’s record of most runs scored by an Indian in a Test match, erasing the original Little Master’s 344 against the West Indies in the Port of Spain Test way back in 1971. Gill also became the second player after Kohli to register three centuries in his first two Tests as a captain — all at just 25 years of age. And he’s yet to attain his peak.

Gill was just fabulous from the moment he strode out to bat. In the form of his life and determined to ensure he’s the main architect after the debacle at Leeds, Gill went about systematically dismantling the England attack. It wasn’t hard rock like the notes from the bands nearby at Villa Park, or his deputy Rishabh Pant who had the crowd chanting for more in his electrifying 58-ball 65, but pure rhythm and blues like BB King or Eric Clapton, with the occasional highs of Tina Turner.

His goal from the beginning was to score fast enough to ensure India got runs at a fast clip that would give them time and a competitive target to have a go at England. Mind you, this England side under coach Brendon McCullum, with their blistering batting, love chasing targets and pinned India on two successive occasions in their bastion. But it wasn’t mindless hitting but a wonderful cocktail of aggression and caution. He picked the right balls to attack and defended the others comfortably on a shirtfront of a pitch, making a mockery of the field set by Ben Stokes.

Gill was in that zone where whatever he touched turned into gold. Cover drives, pulls shots in front of the square and back of it, lofted shots here and there to throw the bowlers off guard, Gill never looked like getting out. His mind was working like a supercomputer, anticipating and solving every riddle England threw at him. In the end, all England could do was hope Gill committed an uncharacteristic error, which happened after tea while he was in the hell for leather zone.

Gill has done his job with the bat in an unrealistic manner. His bowlers are smelling blood. They’ll be hoping to complete the job against an England side that don’t know what defence is and will attempt the impossible. If Indian bowlers can pick the remaining seven England wickets, it’ll make a fabulous solo act a memorable one for the team.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA (I Innings): 587

ENGLAND (I Innings): 407

INDIA (II Innings, O/n: 64/1):

Jaiswal lbw Tongue 28

(22b, 6x4)

Rahul b Tongue 55

(84b, 10x4)

Nair c Smith b Carse 26

(46b, 5x4)

Gill c&b Bashir 161

(162b, 13x4, 8x6)

Pant c Duckett b Bashir 65

(58b, 8x4, 3x6)

Jadeja (not out) 69

(118b, 5x4, 1x6)

Nitish c Crawley b Root 1

(2b)

Sundar (not out) 12

(7b, 1x6)

Extras (B-3, LB-4, W-2, NB-1) 10

TOTAL (for 6 wkts decl, 83 overs) 427

Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Jaiswal), 2-96 (Nair), 3-126 (Rahul), 4-236 (Pant), 5-411 (Gill), 6-412 (Nitish).

Bowling: Woakes 14-3-61-0, Carse 12-2-56-1, Tongue 15-2-93-2, Stokes 7-1-26-0, Bashir 26-1-119-12 (w-1), Root 9-1-65-1.

ENGLAND (II Innings):

Duckett b Akash 25

(15b, 5x4)

Crawley c sub b Siraj 0

(7b)

Pope (batting) 24

(44b, 3x4)

Root b Akash 6

(16b, 1x4)

Brook (batting) 15

(15b, 2x4)

Extras (LB-1, NB-1) 2

TOTAL (for 3 wkts, 16 overs) 72

Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Crawley), 2-30 (Duckett), 3-50 (Root).

Bowling: Akash 8-1-36-2, Siraj 5-1-29-1 (nb-1), Prasidh 3-0-6-0.