“That was the risk” - Former India coach breaks silence on Shubman Gill’s delayed retirement in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes skipper Shubman Gill delayed the declaration of the side's second innings to completely bat England out of the contest in the second Test at Edgbaston. Team India completed a comprehensive 336-run victory on the final day to level the five-match series at 1-1.

However, plenty was said about India batting on until the lead grew over 600 on the fourth evening before declaring the innings. The visitors eventually set England a target of 608, giving themselves only 16 overs of bowling on the fourth day.

Yet, they picked up three wickets before stumps, something Shastri believes would have been India's only goal, irrespective of the overs remaining.

Reflecting on the declaration after the win on the fifth day, Shastri told Sky Sports (3:26):

"He wanted to bat England out of the game; that was the main idea. He would have settled for three wickets before stumps (Day 4). Now, that was the risk, whether you would get those three wickets or not. But once he got those three wickets, it wouldn't have mattered even if he had declared an hour earlier, he would have wanted three wickets and he got them."

Despite rain delaying the start of the final day, resulting in a few anxious moments among the Indian fans, the bowlers picked up the remaining seven English wickets in only 52.1 overs.

"He was assertive in this game" - Ravi Shastri on Shubman Gill's captaincy

Ravi Shastri praised Shubman Gill for asserting himself as captain in the second Test at Edgbaston. The 25-year-old struggled on the field in his maiden Test as captain in the series opener at Leeds as England chased down 371 on the final day.

Gill has been in sparkling form with the bat in both Tests, scoring 585 runs in four innings at an average of 146.25, including a double century and two centuries.

"One word comes to mind - Assertive. He was assertive in this game. Yes, he took advice from other people, but it was his decision. And a smart one today by changing Akash Deep's end in hindsight. He (Gill) had batted on that surface more than anybody else, so he would have known which areas can give problems and who is the most likely bowler to hit those patches early doors to put England back," said Shastri (via the aforementioned source).

He concluded:

"He knew if India take a couple of wickets in the first half an hour or one hour, the game is cracked open big time as England are on the backfoot and can't win, and he can have men in catching positions. His bowling changes today were proactive and spot on."

Gill broke several batting records during his Edgbaston heroics and became the first Indian captain to win a Test match at the venue.