Psychological barrier of facing hosts at Edgbaston

India have lost seven of their eight Tests at Birmingham, the venue for the second Test, starting July 2

- Ashis Ray

LONDON: Edgbaston in Birmingham, the car-manufacturing hub in England's West Midlands, is where India will play the second match of the five Test series. In their eight appearances at this venue since 1967, India have lost seven times — amounting to a veritable crematorium of Indian cricket. The only occasion when they held a whip hand — in 1986 — the temperamental English weather denied them victory.

Whether by design or not, the first Test at Headingley and the upcoming one were potential hurdles for India's comparatively unseasoned top-order batters. In the event, the feared cold and cloudy weather of Leeds was overtaken by glorious sunshine and a relatively placid pitch. This presented India a golden opportunity to extend their triumphs here of 1986 and 2002, which they squandered.

Yashasvi Jaiswal replicated his feats in the West Indies and Australia by recording a century in his first Test in England as well, though his catching resurfaced as a matter of concern.

Shubman Gill, unhindered by the task of captaining India for the first time at the highest level of the game, dismissed his previous average of 14.66 in England with an untroubled hundred.

Rishabh Pant, notwithstanding his high-risk shot-making, blazed to centuries in both innings with the speed of his eyes and willow.