ENG vs IND: 5 talking points from India’s campaign on day 4 of the Edgbaston Test

India dominated Day 4 of the Edgbaston Test and set England a massive target of 608 runs. With the hosts three down at stumps, the visitors head into the final day firmly in control and eyeing a historic win at the venue.

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Highlights of India's outing on Day 4 of second Test

Day 4 of the Edgbaston Test between England and India was yet another enthralling day as proceedings were dominated by the visitors, who tightened their grip with a commanding batting display and fiery spell with the ball in Birmingham on Saturday, July 5.

After India declared their second innings at 427/7 in 83 overs, along with a 607-run lead, England were set a mammoth 608-run target to chase. At the end of Day 4, the hosts posted a total of 72/3 after 16 overs, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook batting on 24 and 15, respectively, and needed 536 runs to win, with the pressure mounting and India firmly in control heading into the final day.

On that note, let’s take a look at five talking points from India’s outing on Day 4 of the Edgbaston Test:

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1. Shubman Gill’s yet another record-breaking innings

After having a record-breaking outing in the first innings, wherein he scored 269 off 387 balls, Shubman Gill had yet another record-breaking spree with an incredible knock of 161 off 162 balls in the second innings of the Edgbaston Test. The Indian captain resorted to an ultra-aggressive approach by taking on England's bowling attack in the final session, wherein he smashed 61 off 32 balls to increase India’s scoring rate and lead before declaring the innings.

With another century in the second Test, Shubman Gill achieved several records, including the first Indian batter to aggregate 400 runs (430) and score 200 and 150 in the same Test match, the most runs by an Indian captain in a Test match, the second Asian batter to aggregate 350+ runs in a Test, the Indian batter to score three centuries in a Test series and other milestones such as becoming the second batter after Allan Border to score 150+ in both innings of a Test.

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2. Rishabh Pant’s boisterous knock

Rishabh Pant entertained the Indian crowd at Edgbaston with his entertaining performance, where his bat twice slipped away from his gloves while attempting to play big shots. Walking in to bat at No.5 after KL Rahul’s dismissal at 126/3, the vice-captain wasted no time getting settled in and took England bowlers to the cleaners with his unorthodox style of batting with varied shot selections.

The southpaw played a blistering knock of 65 off 58 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes, at a strike rate of 112.07. He was quick to redeem himself after he was dismissed for 25 off 42 balls. In the process, Rishabh Pant shattered Ben Stokes’ record for the most sixes in Test matches in an away country. Pant has smashed 24 sixes in 11 matches played in England, surpassing 21 sixes by Ben Stokes in Tests in South Africa.

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3. Ravindra Jadeja delivers again

After playing a crucial innings of 89 off 137 balls in the first leg of the Edgbaston Test, Ravindra Jadeja yet again came up with an impactful performance to provide solid support to Shubman Gill as well as extend India’s first innings lead to over 550 runs. Jadeja played an unbeaten innings of 69 off 118 balls, including 5 fours and a six.

Jadeja walked into bat at 236/4 after Rishabh Pant’s dismissal and stitched a crucial 175-run stand for the fifth wicket with record-breaker Shubman Gill. His stay at the crease and partnership with Gill helped India set a 608-run target for England to chase.

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4. Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj topple England’s top order

Repeating the first innings heroics, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj once rattled the top of England’s batting to put them on the back foot early in their mammoth 608-run chase. The pair put the hosts under pressure early in the second innings before the close of play, similar to their first innings burst, reducing England to 50/3 in 10.3 overs.

Mohammed Siraj provided an early breakthrough by dismissing Zak Crawley for a duck before Akash Deep further dented England’s top order by removing Ben Duckett and Joe Root for 25 and 6, respectively. Their combined effort helped Team India seize control and left England reeling under scoreboard pressure.

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5. India on the verge of creating history

After dominating on all four days of the second Test, India, under the leadership of Shubman Gill, are on the brink of creating history at Edgbaston. Team India has never won a Test match in their previous eight appearances at the venue since 1967, and now, they have the chance to script history, ending a 58-year Test winless streak at Edgbaston. With seven wickets in their hand heading into the final day, England face an uphill task against a charged-up Indian bowling unit, as the visitors inch closer to a monumental win at Edgbaston.

Shubman Gill can achieve what previous Indian captains, including Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Ajit Wadekar, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, could not—lead India to their first-ever Test victory at Edgbaston.