Follow Us“'If India get 600 ahead, we're going to try and chase it down'. And that's exactly what we're going to try and do."
Almost a year ago, England’s then-mentor, James Anderson, openly challenged that the Three Lions would try and chase it down. On July 5 (Saturday), Anderson’s wishes have come true, as Shubman Gill’s India have set England 608 to lead the series 2-0 in the second Test in Birmingham.
If England are to chase it down, naturally, it will be the highest-ever run chase in Tests. Never before has a team chased anything beyond 418 in Test cricket, a feat that the West Indies achieved back in 2003 against the then mighty Australian Test side.
In England, too, the highest run chase till date remains Australia’s efforts in 1948, when they mauled down 404 in Headingley. Meanwhile, Gill knows that India are just ten wickets away from sealing a historic first win in Birmingham.
Earlier in the day, Gill had mowed down England’s bowling attack, as he made multiple records his own, with a 162-ball 161, following his 387-ball 269 from the first innings. It was largely his efforts that led India to amass a total of 1000 runs across two innings, the first-ever instance in country's Test history.
At the time of writing this, England’s Bazballers have fallen like nine pegs early on, losing two wickets within the first five overs, chasing 608.