Mohammed Siraj’s brilliant six-wicket haul ensured India retained the upper hand on an eventful third day of the second Test against England, despite spirited counter-attacking centuries from Jamie Smith and Harry Brook at Edgbaston on Friday, 4 July.
Siraj struck twice in the second over of the morning, reducing England to 84 for five, before Brook (158 off 234) and Smith (184* off 207) mounted a remarkable fightback. Their 303-run partnership off 368 deliveries helped England post 407 all out in response to India’s first innings total of 578.
By stumps, India were 64 for one in their second innings, leading by 244 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal (28 off 22) fell to Josh Tongue under overcast skies, but K L Rahul (28* off 38) looked in control and was joined by Karun Nair (7* off 18) at the crease.
Despite losing half their side early on, England managed to score 172 runs in the morning session and another 106 in the afternoon without losing a wicket, as India’s spinners failed to make an impact. On a docile pitch offering little assistance, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar struggled to apply pressure, while Prasidh Krishna was wayward, conceding at 5.5 runs per over.
India’s breakthrough came with the second new ball, as Siraj (6 for 70) and Akash Deep (4 for 88) ran through England’s tail, taking the final five wickets for just 20 runs. Akash Deep delivered the crucial blow by uprooting Brook’s off-stump with a sharp nip-backer, ending a marathon effort. The final collapse handed India a valuable 180-run first-innings lead.
Smith was the standout performer for England, dominating the Indian bowlers throughout the day. His bold strokeplay saw him overtake Alec Stewart’s record for the highest score by an England wicketkeeper in Tests. He reached his second Test century off just 80 balls, the third-fastest by an Englishman, with back-to-back boundaries off Jadeja in the final over before lunch.
Brook, usually the aggressor, played a more composed role and reached his ninth Test century shortly after lunch. Together, the duo neutralised India’s short-ball strategy, with Smith attacking relentlessly—especially during one over from Prasidh Krishna that leaked 23 runs.
India’s chances were hampered by dropped catches. Rishabh Pant put down a difficult chance off Smith, diving to his right off Nitish Reddy, while captain Shubman Gill couldn’t hold on to a sharp one from Brook off Jadeja.
Smith’s fluent innings included elegant drives and reverse sweeps, as he took the attack to both Jadeja and Sundar, collecting multiple boundaries and a six.