Mohammed Siraj lit up Edgbaston with a fiery burst that left England reeling on Day 3 of the second Test, as India tightened their grip on the match.
In a devastating second over of the morning, Siraj removed two of England’s biggest pillars — Joe Root and Ben Stokes — in successive deliveries, pushing the hosts deeper into trouble. Root, looking solid on 22, was the first to go, nicking behind to Rishabh Pant off a delivery angling down leg.
But it was the very next ball that truly stunned Edgbaston: Siraj sent down a sharp delivery that forced Stokes into a fatal poke, the England captain edging behind for a golden duck — his first first-ball dismissal in Test cricket in 113 Tests.
Stokes’ rare failure was a telling blow for England, who had started the day with hopes resting on their experienced pair. Since his Test debut in 2013, Stokes had been dismissed for a duck 16 times, but never before on the first ball he faced — until Siraj’s searing delivery brought him undone.
Leading the Indian attack in the absence of the injured Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj rose to the occasion in style, setting the tone for India’s dominance.
The foundation for India’s commanding position was laid by their skipper Shubman Gill, who dazzled with the bat over the first two days. Promoted to No. 4, Gill played the innings of his life, smashing 269 runs from 387 deliveries, laced with 30 fours and three sixes.
His marathon effort not only guided India to a towering 587 in the first innings but also saw him etch his name in the record books.
Gill became the first Indian captain to score a double century in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s 241* at Sydney in 2004.
With Siraj breathing fire and Gill’s epic knock putting the scoreboard pressure on England, India are firmly in command at Edgbaston — a performance that may well shape the outcome of this five-Test series.
