Akash Deep inspires India to series-tying win over England in second test

BIRMINGHAM, England — So much for India being in trouble without Jasprit Bumrah.

With the team's star pace bowler given a rest, Akash Deep — Bumrah's replacement — was the unlikely inspiration behind India's dominant, series-tying 336-run win over England on Day 5 of the second test at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Deep claimed the first five-wicket haul of his short test career, removing four of the top five in England's batting order and then top scorer Jamie Smith (88) on the way to claiming figures of 6-99. He had match figures of 10-187.

Fittingly, the victory was clinched off the bowling of Deep, with tailender Brydon Carse scooping a catch to India captain Shubman Gill just before tea.

Gill was the tourists' other star performer, making 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second innings in a record-setting performance that has supercharged his first series as test captain.

Set a world-record target of 608, England started the final day on 72-3 with a draw its only realistic hope and was bowled out for 271 as India sealed a first win at Edgbaston in nine attempts.

It leveled the five-match series at 1-1 heading into the third test at Lord's starting Thursday.

India bounces back

India recovered well after a tough defeat at Headingley last week, when England chased down 371 on Day 5.

Bumrah was left out to preserve his fitness but Deep was a more-than-able deputy. At age 28, he is a late bloomer — certainly at test level where he has played just eight matches since his debut in February last year — but looks the part already with his nagging line and length. Surely he will retain his spot at the home of cricket.

''He bowled with so much heart and the areas and the lengths he hit, he was just getting the ball to move both ways,'' Gill said. ''He was just magnificent for us.''

Asked if Bumrah would be back for the third test, Gill replied: ''Definitely.''

Gill is in the form of his life, racking up 430 runs in this match — second all-time for a total by one player in a test — to go with a knock of 147 in the first test.

''I'd say I'm feeling comfortable with my game,'' Gill said with a smile. ''Hopefully with my contribution, India will be able to win this series. That would be a great achievement for us.''

Stokes regrets first day

England captain Ben Stokes pointed to the failure to get the Indians out cheaply in the first innings after reducing them to 211-5 as the key part of the match. India went on to post 587 all out and never looked back.

''We ran in, we tried everything, we changed plans, we maneuvered it when we could,'' Stokes said. "But when a team is on top of you — and India is a class team — it is always hard to wrestle the momentum back.

''The opposition is full of world-class performers. It's a tough one.''

While Bumrah will be returning for India, the quick turnaround is likely to see England turn to injury-prone quick Jofra Archer for his first test match since February 2021. Gus Atkinson could even return from injury, too, after being added to the squad for Lord's.

Delayed start

Play started one hour and 40 minutes late on Sunday because of early-morning rain and a resultant wet outfield.

It reduced the number of overs available to the Indians to 80 and they made immediate inroads thanks to Deep, who had bowled Ben Duckett and Joe Root late on Saturday.

Getting good seam movement and help from the cracks on the pitch, Deep sent in a delivery to Pope (24) that the batter gloved down and onto his stumps.

In Deep's next over, Brook (23) was trapped lbw by a ball that jagged back off the seam. England failed with a review and was 83-5.

Deep had figures of 4-58 by the time he was taken out of the attack, leaving Stokes and Smith to face a stern examination against left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who was turning the ball sharply out of the rough.

Another spinner, Washington Sundar, was given a bowl before lunch and he got the key wicket of Stokes in the final over of the session, trapping the England captain lbw for 33.

Smith, who made 184 not out in the first innings, offered more resistance but was running out of partners and decided to go on the attack. The wicketkeeper hit back-to-back sixes off Deep before — off the very next delivery — going for another off a slow ball and holing out to Sundar on the boundary behind square leg.

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