Gill leads India to historic Edgbaston win, hails team as best to tour England, confirms Bumrah’s return at Lord’s

Overcoming the absence of two of the past decade’s batting giants and the world’s top-ranked bowler Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill led a youthful Indian side to a commanding 336-run victory in Birmingham, a landmark result marking India’s first-ever Test win at Edgbaston in eight attempts.

The win helped India bounce back in the five-match series, with both teams now level at 1-1 heading into the third Test, starting at Lord’s on Thursday.

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While cricket is a team game, and all 11 players’ contributions matter, it was Gill who led from the front as captain, scoring twin centuries – a double ton in the first innings — to aggregate 430 runs (259 and 161), the most ever scored by a captain in a single Test.

The win also marked Gill’s first as Test captain and served as a much-needed boost for the young skipper, whose century in the opening Test at Leeds had kept India ahead for much of the game before England’s Bazball approach saw them snatch a five-wicket victory in the final hour of Day 5.

Gill has had a prolific start to the series, scoring 585 runs at an average of 146.25 across just four innings.

Reflecting on the win, Gill expressed satisfaction that his team posted mammoth totals in both innings and that the bowlers delivered despite Bumrah’s absence.

“I’m very happy we won the match. No matter how many runs you score, if the team doesn’t win, it doesn’t feel like you’ve achieved anything. It’s my first win as a Test captain, and we’ve done it at a ground where India had never won before — that makes it even more special. Motivation is always there, whether you win or lose.

After losing the first Test, we weren’t panicking. We’ve come back from 0-1 before. We knew if we consistently posted 400–450 runs, our bowlers would bring us back into the match,” Gill added.

Heaping praise on his young pace battery, comprising Mohammed Siraj — who claimed a six-wicket haul in the first innings — and Akash Deep — who finished with a match haul of 10/187 — Gill said he trusted his bowlers to perform in all conditions.

“There were questions — could we take 20 wickets, could we score big runs? But we knew we were close in the last match too. Had we held on to half the chances, the result could have been different. I’m especially proud of our pacers. When your fast bowlers take 16–17 wickets, it makes the captain’s job much easier. Bumrah didn’t play this match, but India has depth. The bowlers showed they’re among the best in the country and can take 20 wickets in any conditions,” he said.

Analyzing the team’s performance in Birmingham, Gill had no hesitation in calling his squad the best Indian outfit ever to tour England.

“Over the last 50–60 years, we’ve played just seven matches here — different teams, different eras. I believe this is the best Indian team to come to England. We’ve got the capability to beat them, to win the series from here. And we’ve got the right momentum with us.”

Bumrah Set to Return at Lord’s; Prasidh May Make Way

Gill confirmed Bumrah’s return for the third Test. India had opted to rest their premier quick for the second Test despite his five-wicket haul in the opening match at Headingley.

“Definitely,” Gill said when asked about Bumrah’s availability.

If Bumrah returns, Prasidh Krishna is likely to make way. Although he bowled well in patches, he failed to produce the desired breakthroughs. Akash Deep, who replaced Bumrah at Edgbaston, picked up 10 wickets including a six-wicket haul in the second innings, virtually sealing his place for the next Test.