IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Wrong And Strange Tactics! Shubman Gill-Gautam Gambhir Slammed For Poor Approach As England Dominate

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IND vs ENG 2nd Test: India's commanding grip on the second Test at Edgbaston began to loosen on Day 3 as England staged a stunning counterattack, led by Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. Resuming at 77 for 3, the hosts were quickly reduced to 84 for 5 after Mohammed Siraj delivered a fiery double blow, dismissing Joe Root and Ben Stokes in consecutive balls.

But what followed left fans and former cricketers stunned - not because of England's resilience, but due to India's baffling tactics.

Jamie Smith, who entered the fray at No. 7, turned the tide with a blistering 157* off 169 balls, while Brook remained unbeaten on 140 off 193 at tea. The pair stitched together a remarkable 271-run stand for the sixth wicket, taking England to 355/5 by Tea and firmly back in the contest. Smith raced to his century in just 80 balls before Lunch - the fastest ever in India-England Tests - and continued to dominate post the break.

India's bowlers, particularly Prasidh Krishna, bore the brunt of England's aggression. The pacer was taken apart by Smith in the 12th over of the morning, conceding 23 runs, including four fours and a six. He ended the post-tea session with expensive figures of 13-1-72-0, and his short-ball barrage - seems like a tactical ploy - failed miserably.

The decision to abandon a good length approach on a seaming pitch and switch to a barrage of short deliveries left many baffled and ex cricketers didn't leave any chance to criticise Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir for the bizarre tactics.

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif was highly critical on X, saying, "At 84/5, India should have shown patience. The ball was moving, they could have stuck to the good old line and length bowling. By going for the short-pitch against Smith and Brook, India played in England's hand. Chance missed because of wrong tactics."

Australian great Mark Waugh echoed the sentiment, calling the strategy "strange'' on X. "Strange tactics from India. Nearly 300 in front and have resorted to trying to buy a wicket caught in the deep'', he said.

With England clawing back and their sixth-wicket duo unbroken, pressure now mounts on skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir to rethink their game plan before the match slips further out of India's control.