India are just seven wickets away from a memorable Test win against England at Edgbaston. If they succeed on the final day, it will be Shubman Gill’s first win as Test captain, and the series will move to Lord’s level at 1-1.

Gill led from the front once again, scoring 161 in the second innings after a brilliant 269 in the first. India then declared their innings at the drinks break, setting a world-record target of 608 runs. After that, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep removed key English batters to tighten India’s grip.

Declaration Comes Late, Sparks Debate

Day four revolved around the delay in India’s declaration, which came later than expected. This raised a big question: Would England, known for their fearless approach under the Bazball era, finally accept that a win wasn’t realistic and shift to a more defensive strategy?

That answer will only become clear on the final day. Of the three wickets England lost on Saturday evening, two came from Akash Deep’s skillful bowling rather than poor shot selection. Ollie Pope ended the day struggling at the crease, and chasing 500+ on Day 5 seemed nearly impossible.

Siraj and Akash Strike Early

Siraj struck first, thanks to a mistake by Zak Crawley. After a poor outing where he dropped Rishabh Pant, Crawley played a loose drive in the opening over, gifting a catch to slip.

Akash Deep was brilliant with the new ball. First, he bowled Ben Duckett, cramping him for space and getting him to chop on. Then, he beat Joe Root with late movement and bowled him through the gate.

India almost grabbed a fourth wicket when Pope looked unsettled early on. However, the only negatives were two failed DRS reviews in the first ten overs. Despite that, Gill’s captaincy and form have stood out, showing he’s much better than his pre-series stats suggested.

Gill’s Historic Knock Sets Records

Gill’s latest century – his third of the series and eighth overall – was nothing short of extraordinary. He made full use of a flat pitch and ineffective spin attack, scoring freely and picking singles with ease. He handled bouncers with confidence and broke several records.

Gill became the first cricketer in Test history to score both a double-century and a 150 in the same match. His 430 runs across two innings is the second-highest aggregate by a batter in a single Test.

He walked in under cloudy skies after Brydon Carse dismissed Karun Nair. Gill survived an early lbw review thanks to an inside edge, then began to dominate. He played late and guided boundaries through the off-side. After a fiery start, Carse didn’t bowl again.

Support from Rahul and Pant

KL Rahul scored a fluent 55 before Josh Tongue bowled him with a full outswinger. Then, Rishabh Pant made his attacking intent clear, hitting a six off his fourth ball.

Pant, dropped on 10 by Crawley, played a fiery knock of 65, often losing grip of his bat while swinging hard. He punished both Tongue and Shoaib Bashir, adding vital runs.

Gill Punishes Short Ball Strategy

After lunch, Ben Stokes ran out of bowling options and ideas. Tongue’s short-ball plan backfired as Gill hit him for 6, 4, 4, then followed up with another six and four in the next over. That flurry brought up his half-century.

Pant eventually got out trying to clear long-off, with his bat landing near midwicket. After that, Ravindra Jadeja came in at No. 6 and started slowly, scoring 25 off 68 balls by tea.

Jadeja Accelerates, Gill Reaches Another Century

In the evening session, Jadeja changed gears immediately. He stepped out and smashed a six off Bashir, then brought out his sword celebration after cutting Root for four to reach his fifty.

Meanwhile, Gill reached another hundred, nudging Bashir off his hips. Then, he smashed Chris Woakes for six, four, and four in the first over after tea.

India Finally Declare After Entertaining Knock

Gill finally got out on 161, giving a return catch to Bashir. But the declaration still didn’t come. Instead, Nitish Kumar Reddy walked in and was greeted by boos from the Eric Hollies Stand, followed by chants of “boring, boring India”.

Reddy got out to his second ball, then Washington Sundar hit a lofted shot over cover to push the lead past 600. When the clock ticked past 5 PM, Gill signaled the declaration.

Brief Scorecard