Can India Level the Series After Dominating England in Second Test?

India have “out-bowled and out-batted” England in the second Test at Edgbaston, according to former fast bowler Stuart Broad, but have they left themselves enough time to secure a final-day win to level the series?

Both Broad and Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain were full of praise for an “outstanding”, “wonderful” spell from Indian seamer Akash Deep on the fourth evening that helped reduce England to 72-3, still trailing by 536 runs.

“It’s a real worry for England that India’s seamers have got more out of this pitch with the new ball than theirs,” Hussain said.

“That burst from Deep tonight was absolutely wonderful. It has been another very good day for India.

“If you look at the nine days so far in this series, India have definitely won more sessions than England and yet they find themselves 1-0 down. They needed this evening, and they need tomorrow, too.

“They have played so much good cricket over these two Test matches, they feel as though they should go to Lord’s [for the third Test] at 1-1.”

Broad added: “We have to be honest, India have out-bowled and out-batted England in this Test match – that’s why they’re 536 runs ahead, needing seven wickets to win the Test match.

“They have been superb this week, and that was just an outstanding spell from Akash, bringing the stumps into play.

“I must admit, after the fifth day at Headingley [England chasing 371], I thought this series could be gone.

“When you conced that many to lose a Test match, when you’d controlled it like they did, how do you pick yourself up? They’ve done it superbly.”

‘Baffling’ tactics from India or playing on England’s ego?

But, for as much as the tourists have dominated the Test so far, by batting deep into the final session on day four to set England a record target of 608 to win, might they have cost themselves valuable time to take all 10 wickets – even given the three picked up in the final 16 overs of play?

When the declaration finally came, Sky Sports’ Ian Ward said: “We always hear England and Ben Stokes say ‘we’ll try to chase anything to win’. India are just playing on that here, that’s the only reason I can think of as to why they’ve declared so late.

“They’re playing on England’s ego, confidence, mantra, whatever you want to call it.”

Former England batter Mark Butcher said similar during the tea interval, as India’s innings had just stalled somewhat following the dismissal of Rishabh Pant for a typically eye-catching 65 off 58 balls.

“It is a legacy, a tribute, to the fear Stokes and England put into teams when setting fourth-innings targets,” Butcher said.

“India want to make sure England are completely and utterly out of it and then you ask a team reticent to draw games whether they can do it.

“India could have given themselves more time to win the game by scoring faster. They did that while Pant was at the crease but not afterwards [up until tea].

“Whether that turns out to be the right thing to do, we will find out tomorrow, but for now it is a little bit baffling.”

Hussain: Crawley’s let himself down with poor dismissals

India’s three-wicket burst in the final session following their eventual declaration has certainly aided their push for victory. Zak Crawley was one of them, falling for a seven-ball duck to Mohammed Siraj in the second over, with Hussain baffled by the opener’s approach and a change in his set up for the second Test.

Crawley struck a measured 65 in England’s second innings at Headingley, to help set up their succesful chase of 371, but he has since seemingly changed his guard to one outside off stump – and has only scored 19 runs across two innings in this Test.

“Both of Crawley’s wickets in each innings has been bad batting – poor,” Hussain said.

“I don’t understand why he has changed his guard to outside off, as that leads to him playing at deliveries wide outside off stump. He played so well in the second innings at Headingley; I don’t understand why he’d do that.

“It’s not just that, people tinker or whatever. But on this surface, you need to see off that new ball – even in this modern era, Crawley has to understand that.

“He’s just seen Shubman Gill [score 430 runs in this Test]; if you see off that new ball, it will get so much easier. He’s let himself down twice in this game.”

Trescothick: England ‘not stupid enough’ to dismiss draw

England are “not stupid enough” to chase victory at all costs on the final day of the Edgbaston Test, with assistant coach Marcus Trescothick hinting they would welcome a rare draw.

In three years since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and coach, England have drawn just one of 37 games since the advent of ‘Bazball’ – a rain-shortened Ashes clash at Old Trafford in 2023 – with Stokes going on the record numerous times with his disdain for stalemates.

“We’re always trying to be as positive as we can, but we all appreciate it’s a hell of a lot of runs to try and score,” Trescothick said. “We need 536 tomorrow. I don’t think we’ve seen scoring rates like that.

“I don’t think we use that sort of [defensive] language, that’s not the sort of changing room we are. But we are not naive.

“If you get to the point where you can draw the game, of course, we’re not stupid enough to think that you have to just win or lose. There are three results possible in every game that you play.”

Watch day five of the second Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am Sunday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.

England vs India – results and schedule

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports

• First Test (Headingley) – England won by five wickets
• Second Test (Edgbaston): July 2-6
• Third Test (Lord’s): July 10-14
• Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): July 23-27
• Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): July 31-August 4