Gill scores another hundred, Jaiswal misses ton as India reach 310/5 at Birmingham

A dominant century from skipper Shubman Gill and a half-century from Yashasvi Jaiswal were the highlights of the day as India posted 310/5 at the end of the first day of the second Test against England at Birmingham on Wednesday. At the end of the day's play, Gill (114*) and Ravindra Jadeja (41*) had formed a 99-run partnership. Team India started the final session at 182/3, with Gill (42*) and Rishabh Pant (14*) unbeaten.

Gill and Rishabh started off on a positive note in the post-Tea session, establishing some quick boundaries. A falling pull shot from Pant took India to the 200-run mark in 58.1 overs. Just when Rishabh was attempting to take off, he holed one to long-on in the hands of Zak Crawley, falling to Shoaib Bashir for 25 in 42 balls, with a four and a six. India was 208/4 in 60.1 overs.

Chris Woakes made light work of Nitish Kumar Reddy, cleaning up his stumps for one in six balls, leaving half the Indian side inside the hut at 211/5 in 61.4 overs. Gill was joined by Ravindra Jadeja, and the duo continued their positive intent with some attacking strikes against pacers. India reached 250 in 71.4 overs. The duo reached their half-century stand in 78 balls, with Jadeja providing Gill just the support he needed on his road to a century.

Gill scored some delightful shots, and double boundaries against Joe Root helped Gill reach his seventh Test ton, second outside Asia, only in his second Test match as a captain. The century came in 199 fours, with 11 fours. Gill let out his trademark roar to celebrate his ton, becoming the second Indian captain after Virat Kohli to have a century at Birmingham and joining an elite list of Virat, Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar with a century in the first two matches as captain.

A boundary from Gill helped India touch the 300-run mark in 81.4 overs. Jadeja and Gill made sure India ended the day without any further wickets lost, in an amazing day of cricket. Earlier, a half-century between Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Shubman Gill drove India closer to the 200-run mark at the end of the second session on day one during the first session against England at Birmingham on Wednesday.

In what was another shared session, thanks to Jaiswal's dismissal, India stood at 182/3, with Gill (42*) and Rishabh Pant (14*) unbeaten. India kickstarted the second session at 98/2, with Jaiswal (62*) and skipper Gill (1*) at the crease. With a double, India reached the 100-run mark in 25.3 overs. Gill and Jaiswal were more watchful, with the Indian skipper surviving a close call for leg-before-wicket against Chris Woakes. Later on, Gill eased some pressure with two boundaries against him in the 33rd over.

The duo was not in a hurry to score after a solid first session, reaching their fifty-run stand in 103 balls. The skipper focused on settling himself on the crease while Yashasvi Jaiswal curbed down his attacking game. Just when it seemed that the Gill-Jaiswal would end the session together, a Ben Stokes miracle finally arrived. Ball in the hand, the England skipper managed to get the edge of Jaiswal's bat caught by wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith.

Jaiswal walked back for a brilliant 87 in 107 balls, with India at 161/3 in 45.1 overs, ending a 66-run third-wicket stand. Rishabh Pant was the next batter on the crease and he broke a 22-ball block session with a six on a Shoaib Bashir delivery while Gill reached 40s on the other end. Gill and Pant ended the session without any further loss.

At the end of the session, India was 98/2, with Jaiswal (62*) and skipper Gill (1*) unbeaten. With England getting Nair towards the end of the first session, the session looked balanced for each side. After England won the toss and opted to field first, openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were watchful in the initial overs as Chris Woakes opened the bowling.

Jaiswal started off hot, unleashing two fours against Brydon Carse and also surviving an lbw review against Woakes. However, in the ninth over, KL lost his wicket, as he played a delivery back onto his stumps, giving Woakes his wicket for two. India was 15/1 in 8.4 overs. After managing just 17 runs in the first 10 overs, Jaiswal, along with Karun Nair, cut loose for the next few overs, playing with freedom.

Nair found four boundaries in quick succession against Woakes and Josh Tongue, unleashing some beautiful drives through covers. In the 16th over by Tongue, Jaiswal unleashed three boundaries against the pacer, including a classy drive straight down the ground on a 145 kmph delivery. India reached the 50-run mark in 15.2 overs, thanks to two successive fours.

By the end of the 20th over, India was 75/1, playing at a decent ODI tempo. In the 22nd over, Tongue was once again at the receiving end of Jaiswal's wrath as a hat-trick of boundaries took him to his 11th Test fifty in just 59 balls, with 10 fours. However, Nair failed to make the most of his start, falling to a short ball by Carse that landed into Harry Brook's hands at slips, removing him for a 50-ball 31, with five fours. India was 95/2 in 23.3 overs, ending a fine 80-run second wicket partnership. Jaiswal and skipper Shubman Gill made sure India did not lose any more wickets.

Brief Scores: India: 310/5 (Shubman Gill 114*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 87, Chris Woakes 2/59) vs England. (ANI)