India vs England: Shubman Gill and Co. grilled after Brook-Smith mayhem at Edgbaston

Despite the captain leading the charge with a double ton on Day 2, India let the control slip out of their grasp on Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test. The visitors scalped two early wickets to kick off the proceedings on the third day of the second India vs England Test. However, sending back Ben Stokes for a golden duck didn't bring the edge that India would have liked, as Harry Brook and Jamie Smith not only settled but triggered mayhem in Birmingham. Now, as both the English middle-order batters have scored a ton each, the Indian captain and his bowlers have fallen to the scrutiny of the cricketing fraternity.

Shubman Gill questioned for his tactics on Day 3 of the second India vs England Test

India’s defensive approach on Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test drew sharp criticism from former cricketers. Several opinions pointed fingers at captain Shubman Gill for letting England claw back into the match. After a dream start provided by Mohammed Siraj, who struck twice in the second over of the day to remove Joe Root and Ben Stokes, India had England reeling at 83 for 5, still trailing by a massive 510 runs.

But what followed was a striking shift in momentum. Harry Brook and Jamie Smith launched a fearless counterattack, capitalising on India’s surprisingly passive field settings and short-ball strategy. The duo added over 200 runs in rapid time, taking England beyond the 300-run mark and swinging the match back into contention. Jamie Smith blazed his way to a century in just 80 balls, the fastest ever by an England wicketkeeper and the third-fastest by any English batter. Brook, too, continued his impressive Test form, registering his ninth hundred in no time.

Former India pacer Varun Aaron criticised India’s tactics, suggesting the team lost its grip after the dismissal of Stokes. He argued that the decision to relentlessly bowl short-pitched deliveries played right into England’s hands, especially when none of India’s bowlers consistently bowled at 145 km/h, a key requirement for an effective bouncer-heavy plan.

“I think India allowed this counterpunch by the English batsmen. If you see what worked really well for India last evening and even this morning, it was bowling at the right length. But the moment India got Stokes' wicket, they got a bit too aggressive on a flat wicket," Aaron said. "Too many bouncers, too many short balls. On a slow pitch, when none of your bowlers are consistently pushing the 145 kph mark, you cannot afford to bowl that many short deliveries," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, former England batter Jonathan Trott pointed to Gill’s inexperience, saying India let the pressure ease after such a dominant start. According to the former English star, the hosts were “let off the hook” just when they looked vulnerable in the Edgbaston Test.

“That partnership at the start was very much under pressure, but as soon as India switched to the short-ball tactic, it actually let the English batsmen off the hook. They’re always going to take the short ball on. And once the runs started flowing, as anyone who's watched cricket knows, that’s when the pressure starts to ease, and they can play their natural game. Even if one of them gets caught on the boundary, it’s not a big deal. The next guy will come in and likely do the same thing," Trott said.