Former England batter Jonathan Trott lavished praise on the remarkable innings played by Harry Brook (158) and Jamie Smith (184 not out), who forged a 303-run partnership that propelled the hosts from 84/5 to 407 in the first innings of the second Test against India at Edgbaston.
Brook and Smith steered England from a precarious position to a respectable total after early losses of Joe Root (22) and captain Ben Stokes (0) on successive deliveries on day three. However, a late spell from Indian pacers Akash Deep (4-88) and Mohammed Siraj (6-70) enabled the visitors to make significant inroads and secure a 180-run first innings lead, which extended to 244 runs by stumps on Friday.
“One thing I can say is that everyone who attended Day 3 of this Test will go home thoroughly satisfied. The quality of cricket was outstanding. The batting from Harry Brook and Jamie Smith was second to none. Yes, we can talk about some questionable captaincy and bowling lengths, but credit to the English batsmen. Then, the way India came out shows they clearly had a discussion in the dressing room about intent. They wanted to be positive and ensure they got enough runs on the board to bowl England out," Trott said on JioHotstar.
Reflecting on Siraj’s brilliant six-wicket haul, former India pacer Varun Aaron commended the pacer’s execution and highlighted his impressive performances in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
“The difference in Siraj’s numbers when Bumrah isn’t playing is drastic – it shows he relishes leadership. Like Shubman Gill with the bat, he enjoys taking charge of the bowling unit. I’d say he had a bit of luck early on today – luck earned from his consistent efforts in the last match. He stuck to his strengths – setting batters up with the away-going delivery and then using that sharp in-dipper, which has become one of his biggest weapons. That’s now Siraj’s best bowling performance in England: 6 for 70. Brilliant execution," he added.
Commenting on the Brook-Smith partnership, Varun said the duo played to their strengths and maximized the runs for England despite six batters being dismissed for ducks during the innings.
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“They desperately needed a big partnership – and Harry Brook and Jamie Smith delivered. But let’s not forget, there were six ducks in that innings – six! That’s a huge number. This partnership made up the bulk of England’s runs. Brilliant batting under pressure – they had their backs against the wall and came out swinging. Yes, some of the short-pitched bowling played into their strengths, but this was still one of the best partnerships I’ve seen in Test cricket. Unfortunately, the rest of the line-up didn’t step up. Without those six ducks, we might’ve had a much tighter contest, but as things stand, India are way, way ahead," the former Indian cricketer said.
(With IANS Inputs)
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