Super Gill puts victory in sight

The skipper’s 161 to follow his 269 and early strikes left the hosts reeling on Day 4

- Ashish Magotra

At some point during these five matches, Jimmy Anderson will start to wonder why the two teams are playing for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

England, the land of swing and seam, is now home to roads masquerading as pitches and if this continues for a few more years, the memory of the brilliant swing bowler might fade at the rate of six runs per over.

Day 4 of the Edgbaston Test was like the first three — a dream for Shubman Gill and the other batters. The Indian skipper added a century, 161, to his 269 in the first innings — it took his match total to an India record 430 runs — and propelled India to 427/6 declared in their second innings. Only Graham Gooch, who scored 456 in all against India at Lord’s in 1990, has made more ina single match.

Gill also became the first player to score a double century and a 150 in the same match. His knock allowed India to set a target of 608 runs for England in the fourth innings. In reply, England were 72/3 at close of play with Ollie Pope (24) and Harry Brook (15) at the crease. They still trail by 536 runs.

If India did bat on for as long as they did itwas only perhaps a silent nod to what the hosts have done in the last match and the few years before that. But that was enough to have the Hollies chanting “boring, boring India.”