Former Warwickshire spinner Jeetan Patel knows how to win games at Edgbaston and he’s backing Ben Stokes’ team to turn around what had looked a hopeless situation and go 2-0 up in the series.
After 150 overs in the field and facing the 587 posted by India, it was a rocky start for the hosts, who collapsed to 25-3 last night and were, at one stage, 84-5 on Friday morning.
Speaking to the Guardian, Patel said: “There’s still three days of cricket left. There’s a lot of cricket to go. And I think on a fast-scoring ground you never know what can happen sort of stuff.
“We’ll just find another way to get over the line. And I think that’s the beauty of the team that we have, and the players we have and the belief they have in how they want to play the game.”
The early losses of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope on Thursday evening, both without scoring, meant it was advantage India. Zak Crawley was also out for 19 before the close. With talisman Joe Root also out for 22 early on Friday and then skipper Ben Stokes becoming the third England player to be dismissed for a duck the very next ball, the tourists were cock-a-hoop.
However a partnership of over 200 between Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, who both hit centuries, was the perfect counter for England.
Earlier, Shubman Gill scored a brilliant 269 to set India on their way to that big first innings total.
Of the Indian captain, Patel said: “The way Shubman batted over the two days has been fantastic. He’s put on a proper masterclass in how to bat on a good wicket. The guys threw everything at him, so they’re very tired after their efforts. Everyone’s all right, everyone’s fine, there’s just tired minds and tired bodies.”
