England’s belief in miracles will be tested to its limits after India left them in an apparently un-winnable position heading into the final day of the second Rothesay Test at Edgbaston.
In the three years since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took the reins of the Test side it has become a guiding principle that their team do not do draws – a rain-ruined Ashes clash at Old Trafford the only one in 37 matches of the ‘Bazball’ era.
Now they may be forced to accept that avoiding defeat is the only route out of Birmingham that keeps their series lead in tact.
Chasing a colossal 608, almost 200 more than the world record, they found themselves 72 for three at the end of day four. With an inconceivable 536 to win in 90 overs, a challenge of their bravado awaits.
India, riding on the coat-tails of yet another century from their insatiable captain Shubman Gill, raised eyebrows by delaying their declaration well beyond expectation and they must now hope the weather does not leave them short of time.
By the time Gill finally pulled the plug at 427 for six, a packed crowd had stopped singing Oasis songs and started chanting “boring, boring India”.
England’s fearless approach to fourth-innings batting had clearly spooked the tourists, who saw them easily chase down 378 on this ground in 2022 and 371 at Headingley last week, but their ultra-cautious approach slipped down the agenda as they wreaked havoc with the new ball.
Zak Crawley flashed Mohammed Siraj to backward point to bag England’s seventh duck of the match and Ben Duckett followed for a rapid 25.
Five boundaries in 15 balls from the left-hander had the boisterous Hollies Stand taking to their feet as they hollered “stand up if you still believe”, but they were back in their seats when Akash Deep smashed his stumps with a beauty.
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Deep was at it again when he added the coveted scalp of Joe Root for six, blasting out his off stump with speed, seam and skill.
If India do take the remaining seven wickets they require, it will be a crowning achievement for Gill, who followed his first-innings 269 with a flawless 161.
That took his match total to 430, the second highest aggregate in Test history, and his series output to a staggering 585 in four visits.
After stepping in to the number four spot previously occupied by national icons Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Gill already looks at home.
India held all the cards at the start of play, already 244 in front with nine wickets in hand.
By lunch England had taken two more, Karun Nair caught behind to cap a vibrant opening burst from Brydon Carse and KL Rahul seeing his middle stump uprooted by a ripper from Josh Tongue.
But by the interval Gill’s latest bout of gorging had begun and India were in front by 357. A chaotic cameo of 65 from Rishabh Pant ensued, with eight fours, three sixes and two missed catches.
On two separate occasions he swung so hard he hurled the bat high into the air, including the shot that eventually saw him caught by Duckett.
Crawley had earlier dropped an easy chance with Pant on 10, caping an increasingly weary performance from the hosts.
Gill breezed to his hundred in 127 balls and cut loose after tea, blazing five sixes and four fours.
By now England had become passengers, a disorientated Ollie Pope running past a catch in the deep as he lost sight of the ball, and the crowd were baying for the innings to end.
At one stage they thought the declaration had come and cheered loudly in response, only to jeer when play resumed.
Shoaib Bashir eventually dismissed Gill with a caught and bowled, but figures of two for 119 were scant cause for celebration.
When Gill finally called his side in there were just 16 overs possible, but that was enough to plunge England into deep strife.
Crawley did not trouble the scorers before an over-ambitious slash outside off gave Siraj the breakthrough and Duckett’s brief charge was ended when Deep bowled him from round the wicket.
Where India had batted with impunity, every ball appeared to carry danger for England and Deep hit the jackpot when he skewered Root with a rocket that nipped away crashed into off stump.
Harry Brook and Pope are first to the crease on Sunday and must decide overnight whether they can stomach fighting for a stalemate.
PA
