Birmingham, July 4 (UNI) A fearless counterattack led by Jamie Smith and Harry Brook lifted England from the ruins on Day 3 of the second Test at Edgbaston today after India had seized early control through Mohammed Siraj’s fiery burst.
Resuming at 77 for 3, England were quickly pushed deeper into trouble when Siraj removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes off successive deliveries in the 22nd over. Root, who looked to flick down the leg side, feathered it to the keeper, and Stokes, on his very first delivery, was undone by a sharp rising ball that took the splice and carried to Rishabh Pant. The scoreboard read a dire 84 for 5, and India looked firmly in charge.
But then came a transformation as Jamie Smith and Harry Brook launched a thrilling and authoritative rescue act. Smith countered the Indian attack with poise, aggression, and fearless strokeplay. He attacked the short-ball plan with confidence, hooking and pulling with precision, and punished anything full with clean drives.
His fifty came off just 43 balls and he raced to a Test century in just 80 balls, reaching the milestone with a sweep off Ravindra Jadeja that sent the spectator s into raptures. It was a knock full of flair, composure, and intent, a statement of arrival.
Brook, more measured but equally stylish, provided ideal support. His fifty, coming off 73 deliveries, featured elegant drives and confident footwork against spin. A thick outside edge off Prasidh Krishna flew past slip for four early in his innings, but from there he barely put a foot wrong. One of his drives off Siraj, with high elbow and pristine timing, was arguably the shot of the morning.
India’s bowlers, who had earlier made inroads with disciplined aggression, suddenly looked bereft of ideas as the Brook-Smith stand blossomed. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were treated with disdain, repeatedly driven through extra cover, while Prasidh Krishna’s short-ball tactics only yielded boundaries, not breakthroughs. Shubman Gill even took a blow on the helmet from a thick Brook edge, summing up the session’s momentum shift.
From 84 for 5, England surged to 249 without further loss by lunch. The partnership between Smith and Brook had ballooned to 165 runs in just 154 balls. India’s lead still looms large, but the hosts now have hope, energy, and a pair of batsmen who’ve completely shifted the tone of the match. With Brook on 91 and Smith unbeaten on 102, the second session promises more drama as England eye a deeper comeback.
