India captain Shubman Gill’s hundred holds off England on first day at Edgbaston

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — New captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 114 led India’s gritty effort to 310-5 against England on day one Wednesday of the second test at Edgbaston.

The pressure was on Gill as India’s last specialist batsman to prevent exposing the fragile bottom order in the last two hours of an extended day.

He succeeded despite leg cramps.

Gill and spin allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, paired from 211-5 after two quick wickets after tea, ran well, were patient and still kept the scoreboard ticking at more than four runs an over.

In their stand of 99, Gill achieved his hundred with consecutive boundaries swept behind square off the last two balls before the new ball was taken, 20 minutes from stumps. He’d used 199 balls.

He took off his helmet and roared in delight following his seventh test hundred, and second successive after his 147 in the Leeds series-opener. He’s batted for more than two sessions.

Jadeja was a sturdy 41 not out, offering memories of his only overseas century in 2022 on this ground.

India’s other big contributor was opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, but whose demise for 87 was a surprise on a flat pitch under sunny skies.

England would feel content at restricting India somewhat, after winning the toss and sending India in to bat.

Captain Ben Stokes’ gamble was predictable. When Stokes has won the toss in home tests, he has opted to bowl first 10 times out of 11. His England believe any fourth-innings target can be chased down. They proved it again in Leeds last week, hunting down 371.

Gill said he also would have bowled first even though his best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, was rested with the third test at Lord’s in mind despite being fit and available.

Chris Woakes starred in England’s attack with 2-59 and was virtually unplayable in the attritional first hour.

Woakes got Lokesh Rahul out on 2, playing on, and had great lbw shouts against Jaiswal on 12 and Karun Nair on 5. Both times the ball was tracking to clip the top of off stump but the batters survived on umpire calls.

“Umpire’s call is there for a reason,” Woakes told broadcaster Sky Sports. “It’s just frustrating because those wickets go your way and it’s 30-3 and you are into the middle order with the ball hard and new.”

Nair was promoted from No. 6 in the batting order to No. 3 for the first time and sparked Jaiswal out of uncharacteristic caution. They accelerated and hit 16 boundaries in a stand of 80 runs off 90 balls.

But the morning was prevented from being dominated by India when Nair, on 31, picked out second slip minutes before lunch.

Jaiswal looked solid for his own back-to-back centuries. He and Gill safely played a tough first post-lunch hour from bowlers Woakes and Brydon Carse and then started hitting the change bowlers.

Jaiswal moved from 62 at lunch to 87 a half-hour before tea when he wafted at a wide one from Stokes and edged behind. He faced 107 balls and hit 13 boundaries in his 3 1/2-hour stay.

Gill and his deputy Rishabh Pant took India to tea and beyond.

“I can’t remember a chance from Shubman Gill once he got in,” Woakes said. “He batted well.”

The captain reached his 14th test 50 in 125 balls, his slowest ever, but Pant didn’t have the same patience. Pant was out for 25, caught on the long-on boundary, and Gill was clearly irritated by Pant’s rashness.

Nitish Kumar Reddy fell in the next over, castled by Woakes on 1. Following the Leeds loss, Reddy was brought in along with Washington Sundar to shore up the batting at the expense of Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur. Bumrah was replaced by Akash Deep.

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