Gill puts India in complete control

ENGLAND'S top order buckled under the weight of Shubman Gill's record-breaking double century, as India took a vice-like grip on the second Rothesay Test.

- By RORY DOLLARD, PA

Gill scored an imperious 269 on day two at Edgbaston, besting Sunil Gavaskar’s claim to the highest ever score by an Indian batter on English soil and Virat Kohli’s mark for the biggest knock by an India captain, as his side posted 587.

That was the most England have conceded since the start of the ‘Bazball’ era three years ago and, after 151 sapping overs in the field, they were ripe for the picking in the evening session.

With attack leader Jasprit Bumrah rested, his replacement Akash Deep stepped up to dismiss first Test centurions Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks with consecutive deliveries. Zak Crawley followed when he edged Mohammed Siraj behind, leaving England’s inform top three back in the pavilion inside eight overs.

It could have been even worse as Harry Brook made a reckless start but he and Joe Root survived until stumps to reach 77 for three. Brook had a final scare off the penultimate ball of a difficult day, threatening to drag Prasidh Krishna into his stumps and only surviving by intercepting the ball with his shoulder.