The 2nd Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston was a graveyard for bowlers and a paradise for batters, those who got their eye in could feast like a kid in a pastry shop. It showed after England’s horror show with six ducks (a record equaling low in their Test history) but still managed to post 407, thanks to a stunning 303-run stand between Brook and Smith. But even though the pitch favoured batting, it doesn’t take away from what India pulled off in the thinking department, it was a masterclass. A psychological heist. This blog uncovers how India turned a flat wicket into a chessboard, outfoxed England, and left Bazball in tatters.
Setting the StageBen Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl under overcast skies. India’s top order started strong, but faced turbulence shortly. Enter SHUBMAN GILL! You know what happened next. If you don’t, this blog isn’t for you. Harsh? Maybe. True? Definitely.India’s innings was anchored by Gill, supported by Jaiswal, Pant, Jadeja and Washington, as they put up a mammoth 587, a score that practically screamed “we will not be batting again.” And perhaps they wouldn’t have, if not for the Brook-Smith resistance. At one stage, India had England at 25/3, then 83/5, with Stokes among those dismissed for a duck. All that was fine, what transformed this Test into a tactical masterclass was what India did on Day 4.In the final session of day 4, India were ahead by 416 runs when Jadeja walked in. At that point, the scoring rate was an aggressive 5.12 runs per over. But with Jadeja at the crease, the tempo dropped noticeably, he made just 24 off his first 60 deliveries. This shift drew immediate criticism, India continued, declaring at 427/6 setting a target of 608, the highest ever in a fourth innings of a test match ever. The commentary box buzzed about India’s approach, questioning their intent, suggesting a lack of winning mindset. But what almost everyone seemed to miss here was the change in plan. An idea! A brilliant one!
Lets understand an equation
You see, cricket often comes down to a simple trade off
The faster you score, the higher the risk.
In Test cricket, teams setting a fourth innings target usually rely on this equation. Score enough runs to be safe, but leave enough time to bowl the opposition out. When India found themselves in that very situation during their third innings this time, they chose a different path. To truly grasp what they did, we need to understand the philosophy called counter-attack. Something that has emerged in modern cricket.
Today, we see it more than ever, batters fight fire with fire. They break the shackles, disrupt the bowling rhythm, and shift pressure back onto the opposition. In the olden days, this used to be seen as reckless, but today it’s legit, even dominant. Teams that master it, often come out on top, chasing steep targets that were once considered unrealistic.
Of course, this approach isn’t entirely new, I remember a young Sachin taking it to the world with this approach. The boy from Bombay transformed the game by batting with fearless intent as the cricketing world watched wide-eyed. Maybe someone before him did it too, and inspired him. Then came the likes of Sehwags and Yuvrajs, who brought fearless flamboyance to the art of counter-attack. Later, Kohlis and Rohits added layers of authority with their audacious strokeplay under pressure. And thanks to the IPL, counter-attack has now become the language of white-ball cricket.
A revolution
Counter-attack was quickly embraced in white-ball cricket because it added to the entertainment quotient. But when it entered Test cricket, it sparked a true revolution. Yes I know, England today are known for their brand of fearless cricket called Bazball, but I remember a thrilling Test encounter back in 2014 when this mindset first made its way into red-ball cricket through none other than the king Kohli, in his very first Test match as captain.
It was the first match of the 2014–15 BGT. Under Kohli’s leadership, you could sense a clear shift in mindset. India were chasing a daunting target of 364 on the final day. Driven by Kohli’s magnificent century, they reached 242/2 just 122 runs shy, with 8 wickets in hand. Everything was pointing towards a famous Indian win. Though India ultimately fell short by 48 runs, that match ignited a new era in Test cricket, one where teams were no longer afraid to risk defeat in the pursuit of victory. Fast forward to January 2021 at the Gabba in Brisbane, that spark turned into fire. Rishabh Pant’s audacious batting in the fourth Test of the 2020–21 BGT didn’t just clinch the match, it shattered Australia’s fortress and set a new benchmark for Indian Test cricket.
Of course, none of this takes away from what England has accomplished in recent years. Bazball, named after head coach McCullum, has completely reimagined how Test cricket is played, a style that prioritises attack over caution, and risk over restraint. Before 2022, England’s red-ball record was dismal, just 1 win in 17 Tests. But with the new style, they transformed into a relentless force, chasing down totals most teams wouldn’t dare dream of. They became a team that thrives on risk. Since adopting this approach, England have played 33 Tests, winning 20, losing 9, and drawing just 1, a remarkable win rate( 60.6%), and clear proof of their transformation.
It was this same fearless attitude that powered them to a stunning 5-wicket win in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, chasing 373 in the fourth innings, while India stood stunned, unable to counter the storm.
The brilliant idea!
India had to pause and think deeply before stepping into the second Test. When the match reached its most critical juncture, during the final session of Day 4, India put strategy ahead of instinct. They knew how England had chased down a massive fourth-innings target with alarming ease in the first Test and how they had unknowingly played into their hands.
So, offering a target, no matter how huge, would only invite aggression. And India couldn’t afford a repeat, they knew England would come hard as they always do. The scoreboard is their fuel, and the target is their motivation.
So…
What if there was no target?
What if India stripped away the one thing England relies on?
What if England were forced to bat for time, not chase runs?
The plan was cunning!
This wasn’t about daring England to go after a big score, It was about removing the chase altogether. India didn’t increase the scoring rate, instead, they slowed the game down, methodically! Deliberately!
Rather than accelerating towards a declaration, India chose patience and threatened to bat on endlessly even until stumps, disrupting England’s anticipation and unsettling their rhythm.
The message was loud and clear: “We’re not setting a target you can chase, we’re setting one you can’t achieve.”
Jadeja’s approach and India’s plan all made sense. Even if England scored at six runs per over, they’d fall short. And that, India believed, would force them into the one thing Bazball isn’t built for ‘Batting for time’.
The brilliance of India’s approach lay in the illusion they created by setting a massive target without ever showing any intent to declare. It was almost as if their message was “We don’t care about winning this outright, we’re just here to grind you into the ground and enjoy doing it.” That mindset broke England psychologically. Traditionally, teams declare near the end of a day’s play to squeeze in a tricky mini-session for the opposition. But this time, it just didn’t seem to come. England, like everyone in the commentary box, expected the declaration once the lead crossed 500.
And yet, it didn’t. From 520… to 550… to 580… to 600 India kept going. No declaration. No shift in gears. No urgency. Just relentless accumulation. Almost anti-climactic… Almost maddening… I mean… who does that?… Who sets a target of 600 in the fourth innings of a Test?
The highest fourth-innings chase ever recorded was 418 (by the West Indies in 2003). That’s the ceiling and here was India, floating far above it. It was a slow, psychological squeeze and England felt every bit of it.
Could their batters who are wired for attack, play the game of patience?
Could they block and leave for hours like a Dravid or a Laxman?
When England were finally put into bat on the same evening, with 20 overs still left in the day, the damage was already done. Mentally drained and physically worn out, they stumbled to 72/3 by stumps, the cracks in their mindset beginning to show. India’s innings had sapped the Bazzball right out of them. England weren’t batting, they were trying to figure out what kind of Test match they were even in.
Day 5 brought no relief. Quick wickets broke their backbone, reducing them to 83/5. By then, it was no longer a question of if, It was only a matter of when. Despite a few desperate attempts to build partnerships, England’s innings eventually collapsed to 271 all out in 68.1 overs, handing India a massive 336-run victory. A win India will cherish for its tactical brilliance.
A Sweet Takeaway
This match left us with plenty of positives. Had individual performances been exposed, it might have forced a lot of introspection. And with Bumrah not in the squad, there was no safety net. If the bowling unit failed to pick up 10 wickets, there was nowhere to hide. You either showed grit or got shown up. And that’s where this group rose. No bowling attack wants to be labelled as lacking intent or heart. And with Siraj, intent is a given, roaring is in his DNA. Akashdeep, on the other hand, stepped into a central role and embraced it fully. Instead of shying away, he saw the moment as a stage to shine… and shine he did. That’s what this Indian team has grown into nowadays, a side that doesn’t hide in the shadows, but steps up and faces the music.
And the positives didn’t stop there not by a long shot. How can I not talk about the new captain, who did something no one in the history of the game has ever done? He etched his name in history, scoring 430 runs (269 and 161) with a 93.28% control percentage(a measure of shots played without edges or misses). Not only did he score the highest individual score by an Indian in England, not only did he register the highest score ever by an Indian Test captain, he also became the only cricketer in history to score
- 400+ in a Test match
- 200+ in an ODI
- 100+ in a T20I
And let’s not forget, he scored a century in the first Test of the series too. And here’s the craziest part… I’m mentioning him this late. Why? Because that’s how deeply psychological and tactical this match was. This wasn’t just about individual brilliance. It was about strategy and decision making. It showed how choices can define the outcome of a five-day Test match more than any stat ever could.
Is This the Beginning?
Is this the dawn of a new era? The Shubman Gill Era? Only time will tell. But this win, India’s first ever Test victory at Edgbaston was a statement in itself. And yes, there’s more firepower waiting to ignite. KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Nitesh Reddy we know they can deliver.
But now, the biggest question is, what happens to Bazball in the third Test? Can England adapt? Or are they locked into one mode of play? The third Test is going to be a test of identity with a lot of questions to answer.
Stay tuned for my views on the next one.
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