Day 1 of the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, unfolded on July 2, 2025, with a thrilling display of resilience and skill from both sides. England, having won the first Test at Headingley by five wickets and leading the series 1-0, won the toss through captain Ben Stokes and elected to bowl first under overcast conditions that promised assistance to their seam attack.
India made three notable changes to their playing XI, bringing in Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep in place of Shardul Thakur, Sai Sudharsan, and the rested Jasprit Bumrah, who was managed carefully to preserve his workload. England fielded an unchanged XI, banking on their potent bowling lineup led by Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes.
The Indian innings began cautiously under the watchful eyes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. Chris Woakes was the standout bowler early on, delivering probing spells with disciplined line and length, extracting bounce and movement. His persistence paid off when he dismissed KL Rahul for 2 runs, bowling him after a tentative start. Jaiswal, however, found his rhythm with elegant strokeplay, punishing loose deliveries, and driving crisply through the covers for boundaries.
Karun Nair joined Jaiswal at the crease and showed intent, scoring a fluent 31 before succumbing to a sharp rising delivery from Brydon Carse just before lunch. This dismissal broke an 80-run partnership that had steadied the innings after early jitters. At lunch, India were 98 for 2 after 25 overs, with Jaiswal unbeaten on 62 and the team looking to build a competitive total on a pitch offering some assistance to seamers but expected to ease as the day progressed.
Post-lunch, Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his impressive form, racing towards a well-crafted half-century off 59 balls, laced with 10 fours. He showcased excellent timing and patience, nearing a century that would have been his second in as many Tests this series. However, England captain Ben Stokes struck a crucial blow by dismissing Jaiswal for 87, caught behind by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, after a spirited battle that included a war of words between the two during the 17th over.
Following Jaiswal's departure, Rishabh Pant took guard. Known for his explosive batting, Pant initially played a patient innings but soon shifted gears, hitting a six over long-on off Shoaib Bashir, signaling intent to accelerate. Unfortunately, Pant's innings was cut short at 25 runs when he was caught by Zak Crawley off Bashir’s bowling, breaking a promising partnership and putting India on the back foot.
Nitish Kumar Reddy walked in at number six but was dismissed cheaply for 1 run, bowled by a sharp nip-backer from Chris Woakes. This quick double blow left India reeling at 211 for 5, increasing the pressure on the middle order. However, the Indian captain Shubman Gill and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja steadied the innings with a composed and unbeaten partnership.
Shubman Gill, who had a cautious start, gradually found his footing and displayed a masterclass in patience and strokeplay. He reached his half-century off 127 balls and went on to score a magnificent unbeaten 114 runs off 216 balls, becoming only the fourth Indian Test captain to score centuries in his first two Tests as captain, joining the elite company of Virat Kohli and Sunil Gavaskar. Gill’s innings was marked by exquisite timing, resilience under pressure, and moments of controlled aggression, including a celebrated century shot—a flick through midwicket off Joe Root that drew applause from the Edgbaston crowd.
Ravindra Jadeja provided invaluable support at the other end, playing a gritty innings of 41 runs off 67 balls, nearing his half-century. His steady presence allowed Gill to play with freedom and ensured that India ended the day on a strong note. Their partnership of 51 runs after India’s middle-order wobble was crucial in setting a platform for the visitors.
India finished the day at 310 for 5 after 85 overs, a respectable total given the early wickets and the quality of England’s bowling attack. Chris Woakes was the pick of the English bowlers with two wickets and tight spells, while Brydon Carse and Shoaib Bashir also contributed with disciplined bowling. England’s fielding was sharp, though they missed a few chances, which could have made the day more challenging for India.
The day was marked by moments of tension and drama, including a close DRS review that saw Shubman Gill survive a leg-before-wicket appeal due to a faint inside edge and a near-miss for Jadeja off Shoaib Bashir, where England wisely chose not to review after umpire’s call. The players from both sides wore black armbands in memory of former England cricketer Wayne Larkins, who passed away recently, adding a solemn note to the proceedings.
Former India coach Sanjay Bangar emphasized the importance of fielding and not dropping catches, noting that it makes the bowling department’s job tougher. He highlighted the specialized nature of the gully position and called for India to invest in a specialist fielder there, reflecting on the need to improve in this area after lapses in recent matches.
Looking ahead, India will aim to build on this solid start, with Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja set to resume their partnership on Day 2. The visitors know from experience that a total in the range of 550-600 is needed to put England under real pressure, especially in the absence of their premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for workload management. England, meanwhile, will look to exploit any assistance from the pitch and the conditions to make early inroads and regain control of the match.
The weather forecast promises a sunny day with moderate breeze and temperatures ranging between 9 and 21 degrees Celsius, conditions that should favour batting as the match progresses. Joe Root, England’s top batter and the venue’s highest run-scorer, will be keen to add to his tally and chase milestones, needing 73 runs to become the first batter to score 3000 runs against India in Test cricket and 80 runs to reach 1000 runs at Edgbaston.
As Day 1 closed, the stage was set for an intriguing and hard-fought contest. India’s resilience and the brilliance of Shubman Gill’s captaincy and batting have given them a strong foundation, but the challenge remains to convert this into a commanding position. England’s disciplined bowling and fielding will be tested further as the match unfolds, promising an absorbing battle at one of cricket’s iconic venues.
