Woakes and Smith snare Gill in England’s grand ploy with the keeper up to the stumps doing the trick for India captain.
Gillnetting: Woakes and Smith make England’s grand plan work.
Since his 430-run victory at Edgbaston, Gill’s name has been referenced in the same sentence as Bradman’s, despite the fact that he came to England with an average of 35 and much to prove away from home. Gill could seriously challenge Bradman’s five-match series record of 974 runs with 585 runs in the first two Test matches of this tour before he returns home in August.
Even though Gill was dismissed in both of Birmingham’s innings, his pluck to square leg on 269 and his caught-and-bowled to Shoaib Bashir on 161 were merely the product of physical and mental tiredness. In reference to England’s preparations for the Lord’s Test, Stokes would only state, “We’ve got plans for all the Indian batters.”
The timing of Jofra Archer’s return appeared to be a direct reaction to Gill’s dominance, although Stokes and England did not acknowledge this. Archer produced the quickest delivery of this series within four deliveries of his maiden Test appearance in four and a half years, raising suspicions that Gill’s primary weakness is true, express pace.
At No. 4, Archer came back for another spell as soon as Gill entered. At 88 mph (141 kph), his first ball to him was spot on, and Gill flinched and dropped his hands to escape his short deliveries. Archer was eager to improve his stellar record against Gill, which includes three IPL dismissals in 19 balls and two Test dismissals in 28 deliveries.
As the ball grew softer, Stokes used his well-known short-ball trick to set Archer an incredible six-three leg-side field, which included midwicket, long leg, backward square leg, deep square leg, square leg and forward square leg. Unfazed, Gill even shimmied outside the leg stump to smack a short ball into the covers with his forehand.
Stokes, however, had another strategy in mind. A helmet appeared as soon as Gill entered, allowing Jamie Smith to face the stumps while Woakes bowled. Smith immediately removed it when Gill drove his first ball from Woakes into the leg side for one, and he stood back when KL Rahul struck.
At both Headingley and Edgbaston, Gill batted brilliantly out of his crease, making Woakes appear like a medium pacer. Their series head-to-head record was 153 balls, 102 runs, and zero dismissals. Smith’s average interception point against Woakes was half a metre deeper than it had been at Edgbaston, but his closeness pulled Gill back, increasing the ball’s risk of moving off-straight.
Gill pressed forward and edged him beyond second slip for four after Woakes drew a false shot three balls into the plan. When he pushed a half-volley down the ground with a clean, straight shot, he appeared to be at ease enough. However, when Woakes went a little further on the crease, he hooked the outside edge, and Smith joyfully devoured a difficult opportunity.
After scoring 16, it was Gill’s second failure in a brilliant debut series as captain, and he trudged out. England will be relieved that a plan to get him out finally worked after a week of chasing leather in Birmingham if he can score a further 373 runs in his next five innings of the trip to surpass Bradman’s record.