Shubman Gill’s Ton Leads India’s Fightback Amid Controversial Selections in Second Test

On a day clouded by bold and polarising team decisions, India found a firm footing in the second Test against England, reaching 310 for five at stumps on Day One at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Leading the charge was vice-captain Shubman Gill, who batted with maturity and resolve to remain unbeaten on 114, anchoring India’s innings amid contentious selections and challenging spells from the hosts.

The spotlight early in the day was less on the toss, which England won and chose to bowl, and more on India’s team sheet. Jasprit Bumrah was rested to manage workload, and Kuldeep Yadav, despite his recent bowling form, was left out in favour of batting depth. Equally surprising was the exclusion of B. Sai Sudharsan, dropped after a composed debut knock in Leeds. Into the XI came all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, with pacer Akash Deep the only direct replacement.

Critics were quick to question the Indian think tank’s persistent strategy of fielding batters who can bowl, a formula that had faltered in Headingley. With India trailing 0-1 in the series, such experimentation raised eyebrows, especially after the team’s near-win in the first Test was undermined by dropped catches and bowling fatigue.

But cricket, as ever, judges by results. And the day ended with India holding the upper hand, thanks largely to the elegant strokeplay and unwavering concentration of Gill. He shared crucial partnerships, first with Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and later with Ravindra Jadeja (41*), who stood firm at stumps.

Jaiswal batted fluently, unfazed by England’s short-ball barrage, and countered with crisp drives and pulls, including a standout boundary off Josh Tongue despite a packed leg-side field. His 107-ball stay ended when he edged Ben Stokes while trying to accelerate. Earlier, Karun Nair (31), promoted to No. 3, looked in fine touch before a Brydon Carse delivery bounced awkwardly and forced an edge to the slips just before lunch.

After Rishabh Pant (25) fell trying to attack Shoaib Bashir and debutant Nitish Reddy offered no shot to a Chris Woakes delivery, India wobbled at 211 for five. But Gill and Jadeja ensured the innings didn’t unravel. A 99-run unbroken partnership between the two not only steadied the innings but also helped reclaim the momentum.

Gill brought up his second century of the series in style, sweeping Joe Root just before the second new ball was due, a clear message of intent amid tactical gambles. As India enters Day Two, the challenge now is to convert a promising start into a match-defining total and justify the calculated risks that sparked such debate.