Sat Jul 05 17:39:49 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
During the second Test between England and India at Edgbaston, England’s Harry Brook and Jamie Smith mounted a counter-attack after India had them reeling at 84/5. They formed a 303-run partnership, with both scoring 150s, shifting the momentum in England’s favour. Former England captain Michael Atherton sympathized with India’s captain Shubman Gill, suggesting he would have included Kuldeep Yadav in the bowling attack. Brook was eventually dismissed for 158 to a standing ovation.
**News Article:**
**Brook and Smith Blitz India, Atherton Sympathizes with Gill**
**Edgbaston, England** – England’s Harry Brook and Jamie Smith staged a stunning counter-attack against India on the third day of the second Test, putting the tourists’ captain, Shubman Gill, under immense pressure. After Mohammed Siraj’s early burst reduced England to 84/5, Brook and Smith combined for a blistering 303-run partnership, turning the tide in England’s favour. Smith reached his 150 mark in the second session, with Brook following suit shortly after.
Former England captain Michael Atherton expressed sympathy for Gill’s situation, noting that England’s aggressive batting style had rattled India. “Shubman Gill is not the first captain to be put under the pump by the way the England batters play,” Atherton commented on Sky Sports. He also suggested that India missed a trick by not including left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav in their attack. “I’d have wanted Kuldeep Yadav in my side, if I was captain.”
The partnership was eventually broken by Akash Deep, who dismissed Brook for a well-made 158 (234). Brook received a standing ovation from the Headingley crowd as he walked off the field, having played a pivotal role in swinging the match’s momentum.
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