Birmingham, July 5 (IANS) Captain Shubman Gill continued his masterly way of making runs by hitting his eighth Test hundred while his deputy Rishabh Pant raised the tempo by smashing a rollicking 65 as India extended their lead to 484 runs after reaching 304/4 in 68 overs at tea on the fourth day of the second Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston on Saturday.

The afternoon session belonged to India, who are now in the driving seat, thanks to the efforts of Gill and Pant, who shared a fourth-wicket stand of 110 runs off 103 balls.

Gill was at his elegant best to hit his fifth Test century against England and third as the Indian captain. He also became just the second Indian batter after Sunil Gavaskar to score a century and a double hundred in the same Test match.

Pant began the session by cutting Shoaib Bashir through backward point for four, before Gill flicked a switch by moving across the crease to hammer two fours and as many sixes off Josh Tongue. After Gill, who was 25 off 47 balls at one point, brought up his fifty off 57 balls, Pant followed suit by bringing up his 16th Test fifty off 61 deliveries.

Pant continued to be at his buccaneering best by smashing four quick boundaries, including his trademark falling sweep, before he lost the grip of his bat handle again and landed at midwicket. But the ball was safely caught by long-off, as Pant fell for 65.

Despite Ravindra Jadeja (25 not out) not showing much run-making intent in their unbroken 68-run stand, Gill continued to get boundaries before reaching his century off 128 balls by tucking Bashir to mid-off for a single and leaving the crowd in awe of him and his rich vein of form.

It will be interesting to see when India declares their innings and have a go with the ball towards England before stumps arrive.

Earlier in the morning session, KL Rahul hit a calm 55 while Rishabh Pant was at his rollicking, yet chaotic, best to hit an unbeaten 41, as India’s lead swelled to 357 runs after reaching 177/3 in 38 overs at lunch on Day Four. Rahul, resuming the fourth day’s play at 28, managed to hit his 18th half-century in Tests, coming off 78 balls, before being castled by Josh Tongue.

Brief scores:

India 587 and 304/4 in 68 overs (Shubman Gill 100 not out, Rishabh Pant 65; Josh Tongue 2-93, Brydon Carse 1-56) lead England 407 by 484 runs

–IANS

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