This is the second of the two Tests in the series, and the match has reached the fifth day when the outcome will be decided. The newly renamed Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has produced edge-of-the-seat cricket till now, both India and England have had good quality cricket, and with the pitches being evenly balanced, which has kept the score till the very last over.
On day five at Edgbaston, it is India who is standing strong. As compared to Leeds, where England always had a chance to chase the runs, this time around, the hosts find it impossible to chase the 608 runs due to a remarkable performance with the bat by Shubman Gill. A high score like that is practically impossible even to a strong and bullish batting side like England, and now it remains to be seen how England will be able to survive the barrage of bowling by the Indian pacers and cling on to their wickets in order to save the match.
India does have a huge advantage as they managed to take three very important English wickets towards the end of the fourth day. First was Zak Crawley, then Ben Duckett, who played such an important role in the last chase of England, and Joe Root himself, who has not yet scored anything significant in this series, but is doing miserably. Captain Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith are still there in the ranks as Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, who already scored centuries in their previous matches, where in the first seven matches of that particular series are still at the crease overnight.
However weather might also have its contribution. Continued rain last night in Birmingham has caused a slower start to play with some amount of overs possibly being lost due to rain during the morning session, but there are indications of clearer weather into the afternoon and beyond. Thanks to Shubman Gill, India will not want to waste a single minute and will want to capitalize on their chance to win the game, and count on the fact that the pitch will at least start to wear off and serve the spinners.
As a captain, Gill will also be rewarded by clinching his first-ever Test victory after a match that will live to be remembered.
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