Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes India’s dominant win over England in the second Test at Edgbaston sends a strong message ahead of the third match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India registered a record 336-run victory, their first-ever Test win at the historic venue, and Panesar thinks this triumph shows the visitors are unshaken by England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ style.
“India will gain a lot of confidence from this. It shows they’re not afraid of England’s Bazball approach. There’s a great deal of excitement and belief in the team. Shubman Gill has shown exceptional leadership; also, he has batted really well,” Panesar told IANS.
The victory levels the five-match series 1-1 and puts India in a strong position heading into the third Test at Lord’s. India posted a massive total in both innings, thanks to centuries from captain Shubman Gill, who scored 269 and 169 in the match, becoming the first player to score 250+ and 150+ in the same Test.
Panesar also took aim at England’s ineffective bowling, specifically their young spinner. “Shoaib Bashir conceding 286 runs is a serious concern. It’s troubling for England that their spinner can’t even deliver maiden overs consistently,” he said, highlighting how the flat Edgbaston pitch exposed England’s bowling weaknesses.
India’s bowlers, on the other hand, rose to the challenge despite missing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj and debutant Akash Deep stepped up in a big way, sharing all 10 wickets in England’s first innings. Deep, who replaced Bumrah for the match, ended with remarkable match figures of 10/187 (4/88 and 6/99) — his maiden 10-wicket haul in Test cricket.
“This is India’s first-ever Test win at Edgbaston — a truly historic moment. The team will head into the Lord’s Test with confidence, knowing they can beat England. Taking 20 wickets in a Test match is a big achievement for India. They’ve found a solid bowling combination, and with Jasprit Bumrah likely to return for the next match, the bowling attack will only get stronger,” Panesar added.
He reserved special praise for Akash Deep’s efforts with the new ball. “Akash Deep has an excellent average with the new ball. He’s a genuine new-ball bowler, and he bowled really well — a remarkable comeback for him,” he concluded.
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