Although KL Rahul did all the talking at India’s huddle, it was confirmed that Rishabh Pant, the designated vice-captain, has taken over the captaincy duties.
Rishabh Pant took over the captaincy from Shubman Gill as India began their defence of a mammoth 587 on Day 2 of the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Gill, who scored a historic double century after batting for nearly five sessions, did not take the field at the start of England’s innings. He was receiving some treatment on his back that had been troubling him a bit since the Headingley Test.
Although senior pro KL Rahul did all the talking at India’s huddle, like he has been doing in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, it was confirmed that Rishabh Pant, the designated vice-captain, has taken over the captaincy duties when he was seen ringing in the changes in the first over bowled by Akash Deep.
Pant did not have to do the captaincy for long, though, as Shubman Gill was back on the field after the second over. And as soon as Gill was back on the field, India got success. He has been India’s lucky charm in this Test match.
Akash Deep got one to straighten from around the wicket off a good length to Ben Duckett, who played at it with hard hands. The ball took the outside edge and flew towards the slip cordon where Gill was stationed. He moved very quickly to his left and held on to a sharp catch.
England’s No.3 Ollie Pope was then guilty of closing his bat face way too early. The ball took the outside and KL Rahul took the catch, albeit in two attempts. India got off a dream start through Akash Deep, who sent back previous match centurions Duckett and Pope for a duck.
Skipper Shubman Gill’s classic maiden double hundred carried India to a formidable 587 all out in their first innings. Gill (269 off 387 balls) led India’s batting charge as there were two other notable run-makers in Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Ravindra Jadeja (89). Gill also became the first Indian and Asian captain to score a double hundred in a Test match in England. The skipper also posted the highest individual score by an Indian batter on English soil, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s 221 scored at the Oval in 1979.