Wins accumulate. Losses multiply. Gautam Gambhir is aware of this all too nicely. Appointed because the India head coach slightly below a yr in the past, he has presided over simply three wins from 11 Test matches. Losses, he has seen seven, with probably the most crushing one coming final week in Leeds when England chased 371 fourth-innings runs with ease.
Gambhir has had an prolonged honeymoon largely as a result of of his white-ball exploits, chief amongst them the Champions Trophy victory earlier this yr. But goodwill isn’t everlasting, and thus, recovering from the 0-1 deficit in the five-match sequence shall be prime on the agenda when India takes on England in the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham from Wednesday (July 2, 2025).
The kerfuffle over the composition of the bowling assault in the potential absence of Jasprit Bumrah has solely made issues more durable. Apart from speedster Mohammed Siraj — who was luckless in the primary Test — and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja — who supplied management however not wicket-taking risk — nobody seems to be an computerized choose.
Learning on the job
Perhaps, this was at all times on the playing cards. With Mohammed Shami unavailable and Bumrah unable to play for prolonged stretches, the largely inexperienced pace-bowling pack has to be taught on the job. And if the pitch right here seems to be as flat and dry because the one in Headingley, and the climate largely heat as predicted, bowlers might want to show extra creativeness and guile than in the opening contest.
Shubman Gill’s position right here shall be essential. In Leeds, the skipper largely relied on 4 bowlers and underbowled — or didn’t belief — Shardul Thakur. It is uncertain if the Mumbai all-rounder will preserve his place as India appears to be like to stability the dual necessities of taking 20 wickets and increasing its batting depth. Even because the top- and middle-order batters got here good, they may proceed to hold the burden of scoring massive runs to present its floundering bowlers some elbow room.
But England in the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum period not often buckles below scoreboard strain. The indisputable fact that Stokes selected to subject in the sequence opener, noticed India rake up 471 in the primary essay and nonetheless impressed his wards to drag off a shocking fourth-innings heist means the host will begin from a place of nice energy.
The vibes across the bowling group have improved manifold, with Stokes again to full depth, and Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse performing nicely (11 wickets mixed in Headingley). A match Jofra Archer will sit out of the Birmingham Test however his mere presence in the dressing room is certain to additional enliven the environment.
England additionally has a proud document towards India at Edgbaston, having gained seven of the eight fixtures and drawn the opposite. The most up-to-date was the ultimate tie of the 2021-22 sequence in July 2022 whereby Stokes’ England, in true Bazball fashion, mowed down a 378-run fourth-innings goal with seven wickets to spare.
Gill mentioned that historical past wouldn’t matter and that the current touring get together was the “best Indian team.” It is lastly time to stroll the speak.
Squads:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
