Birmingham, July 6 (IANS) Former England captain Nasser Hussain felt India skipper Shubman Gill was mostly accurate in his captaincy during the morning session of day five’s play in the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Edgbaston.

Despite rain taking away 10 overs of day’s play, India inched closer to a famous victory in the first session as Akash Deep took out overnight batters Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, before Washington Sundar trapped Ben Stokes lbw on the stroke of lunch as England were left at 153/6 in 40.3 overs.

With 455 runs still left for England to make, India will fancy their chances to take the remaining four wickets with 55.3 overs left in the day’s play. “England had done quite a bit of the hard work. Stokes, who hasn’t spent a lot of time in the middle, was beginning to find his rhythm and the ball was getting soft.

“So it was a really good decision to notice it had just flicked the front pad (for Stokes’ lbw dismissal) and for Gill to bowl off-spinner Washington. Gill has got most things spot-on in that session and even done things most of us wouldn’t – the end Deep bowled at,” said Hussain on Sky Sports’ broadcast during lunch break.

Michael Atherton, former England skipper, felt losing Stokes at the stroke of lunch was a huge blow for hosts’. “India wanted Stokes on strike and that was a hammer blow for England. Stokes played nicely but he is gone and delight for India.”

Hussain further showered rich praise on Akash, who currently has figures of 4-58 and took 4-88 in first innings. “I think he is a highly-skilled bowler – and at you all the time. It’s not just the cracks in the pitch (why he has had success). He is a wonderful bowler.”

–IANS

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