India was in a strong position to level the five-match series 1-1, following their defeat in the Leeds opening game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, after Day 4 of the second Test ended in Birmingham with England requiring an unlikely 536 runs and having only seven wickets remaining. The second hundred of the match by captain Shubman Gill put India in a strong position to equal the series.
But India’s declaration strategy raised eyebrows. With rain promised for the last day especially in the morning session most wondered why Gill declared almost an hour after Tea, when India had negotiated past a 550-run lead just after the interval after Gill had smashed Joe Root with back-to-back sixes. Rather than declaring then, India continued batting for another five overs before leaving England with a record target of 608 runs to chase.
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India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel spoke about the issue during the post-day press conference, explaining that the move followed an internal dressing room discussion. He termed the extra runs scored in those last overs as “a bonus,” saying that the team had faith in themselves to make the most of the time remaining in the match.
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But when rain destroyed a portion of Day 5’s play, the reasoning behind the delay was apparent. The additional runs provided useful buffer, limiting pressure on Indian bowlers despite lost time. Bowling coach Morne Morkel had termed them “bonus runs,” and they proved crucial. With three English wickets down already, India could go aggressively, aware that the target was unreachable and time was short which can convert a controversial move into a tactical triumph.
