India secured a historic 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston on Sunday, marking their first-ever Test win at the venue and levelling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 1-1. The triumph was shaped by standout performances from Shubman Gill and Akash Deep. Gill, leading the side for the first time, struck a double century in the first innings and followed it up with a century in the second. Meanwhile, fast bowler Akash Deep, replacing the rested Jasprit Bumrah, delivered a sensational ten-wicket match haul — four in the first innings and six in the second — becoming only the second Indian to achieve this feat in England after Chetan Sharma.
Birmingham, July 6: After Shubman Gill’s brilliance with the bat in both innings, Akash Deep excelled in bowling, and in both innings, which helped India to breach the Edgbaston fortress.
While Gill hit a double century in the first innings, followed by a ton in the second innings, Akash Deep claimed four wickets and six wickets in England’s innings in a fiery display of bowling leading India to a thumping victory.
Fast bowler Akash Deep delivered a stunning performance, claiming 6 for 99 in the second innings to complete a ten-wicket match haul, as India registered a commanding 336-run victory over England on Sunday — their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston. The emphatic triumph also helped India draw level in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, now tied at 1-1.
Missing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and opting not to include Kuldeep Yadav, India came into the match trailing 0-1 after a heartbreaking loss at Leeds. But Akash Deep, stepping in as Bumrah’s replacement, rose to the occasion, delivering a memorable pace-bowling effort on a flat surface and dismantling the English batting order for 271 well before the final session.
With this feat, Akash became only the second Indian to claim ten wickets in a Test on English soil — the first since Chetan Sharma’s 10/188 at the same venue in 1986. His fiery spells were complemented by solid contributions from Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, each picking up a wicket. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who scored 269 and 161 across both innings, celebrated his first win as India’s Test captain.
Though the start of play on day five was delayed by 100 minutes due to rain, the visitors needed little time to wrap things up, taking the remaining seven wickets to avenge their previous defeat at Headingley with a statement victory.
Akash began the demolition by dismissing overnight batters Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in the morning session. Washington Sundar’s dismissal of England captain Ben Stokes just before lunch gave India further momentum.
On Saturday, Akash had already removed Ben Duckett and Joe Root in a sizzling spell. On Sunday, he continued his dominance, dismissing Pope with a rising delivery that struck the elbow and ricocheted onto the stumps. Shortly after, he trapped Brook lbw with a sharp in-cutter that kept low — a decision upheld on review.
Zak Crawley’s replacement, Jamie Smith, attempted to lead the resistance. He struck three boundaries off Akash and looked confident. Stokes, too, played a few authoritative shots, particularly against Siraj. But Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar turned the screws. Stokes, attempting a forward defense, was struck on the pad by Washington’s delivery that drifted and turned — a review confirmed the ball would hit the stumps, sending the English skipper back and tilting the game heavily in India’s favour at lunch.
Post-lunch, Smith reached a counterattacking half-century off 73 balls and kept the hosts in the contest with a flurry of strokes, including two sixes and a four off Washington. But India kept chipping away — Prasidh Krishna got rid of Chris Woakes with a short ball that was top-edged to Siraj at midwicket. Although Jamie Smith survived an lbw call against Prasidh thanks to a successful review, his aggressive intent eventually led to his downfall.
After smashing Akash Deep for two sixes in a row, Smith tried for a third but mistimed a slower ball and was caught in the deep — sealing Akash’s maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
India’s fielding brilliance was also on display when Siraj took a spectacular one-handed diving catch at short midwicket to dismiss Josh Tongue off Jadeja’s bowling. The match concluded soon after as Akash bagged his sixth wicket, inducing Brydon Carse to hit straight to Gill at cover, securing India’s landmark win at a venue where they had never triumphed before. (Edited)
Brief Scores:
India 587 & 427/6 decl. in 83 overs (Shubman Gill 161, Ravindra Jadeja 69; Josh Tongue 2/93, Shoaib Bashir 2/119)
England 407 & 271 in 68.1 overs (Jamie Smith 88, Ben Stokes 33; Akash Deep 6/99, Washington Sundar 1/28)
India won by 336 runs*
