India vs England 2nd Test Day 1: India Close Strong at 310/5 with Shubman Gill’s Masterful Century
On July 2, 2025, the opening day of the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, concluded with India in a solid position at 310 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. The day belonged to India’s captain Shubman Gill, who played a composed and masterful innings, scoring a century that anchored the Indian batting lineup against a competitive English bowling attack.
Shubman Gill Leads the Charge
Gill’s innings was the highlight of the day, as he scored an unbeaten 76 runs off 157 balls, including 8 boundaries. His patient and technically sound approach helped India build a strong foundation after early wickets. Gill’s century was critical in steadying the innings, especially as other top-order batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal fell short of a hundred despite a valiant 87 runs off 107 balls.
Key Contributions and Wickets
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 87 was a significant effort, featuring 13 fours, but he was dismissed by Ben Stokes just 13 runs short of a century. KL Rahul and Karun Nair fell relatively early, with Rahul out for 2 and Nair scoring 31. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy fell in quick succession late in the day, with Pant making 25 and Nitish Reddy just 1, leaving India at 310/5 at stumps.
Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 9 runs, partnering with Gill to close the day on a positive note. The Indian lower order, including Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, was expected to provide stability on the flat Edgbaston pitch, which traditionally offers limited assistance to bowlers.
England’s Bowling Efforts
England’s bowling was led by Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, and Ben Stokes, each picking up crucial wickets to keep India in check. Woakes was particularly effective, claiming the wickets of KL Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Stokes took the important wicket of Jaiswal. Shoaib Bashir also made an impact by dismissing Rishabh Pant
Despite the wickets, England struggled to contain India’s scoring rate fully, as the pitch offered good batting conditions. The English captain Ben Stokes implemented smart field placements and bowling changes to try and stem the flow of runs and induce mistakes from the Indian batsmen.
This Test match is crucial for India, who are trailing 0-1 in the five-match series after a dramatic first Test. With Jasprit Bumrah rested for workload management, the responsibility falls on Mohammed Siraj and the rest of the seam attack to claim 20 English wickets on a batting-friendly surface. India’s strategy of including three all-rounders aims to strengthen the lower order and avoid collapses seen in previous matches.
India’s total of 310/5 at stumps on Day 1 sets a platform to build a competitive first innings score. However, to put England under pressure, India will need Gill to continue his fine form and for the middle and lower order to contribute significant runs on Day 2. England, meanwhile, will look to exploit any batting lapses and push India onto the back foot early in the next session.