Rishabh Pant creates SENA history as India tighten grip on Edgbaston Test with record lead

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant, during the second Test at Birmingham against England on July 5, scripted history by becoming the first Asian wicketkeeper-batter to score 2,000 runs as a specialist keeper in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) countries.

After managing 25 runs in the first innings, Pant delivered an entertaining, counter-attacking and crucial 65 in 58 balls, with eight fours and three sixes.

Now in 28 SENA Tests, Pant has scored 2,023 runs at an average of 41.28, with six centuries and six fifties in 52 innings and a best score of 159*.

In this series, Pant is the second-highest run-getter, with 342 runs in four innings at an average of 85.00 and a strike rate of 81.81, with two centuries and a fifty. His best score is 134.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep rattled England's top-order with the new ball yet again, leaving India seven wickets shy of going level in the series after the end of the fourth day, thoroughly dominated by the tourists at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Coming to the match, England once again opted to field first. After getting KL Rahul (2) early, a 80-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87 in 107 balls, with 13 fours) and Karun Nair (31 in 50 balls, with five fours) helped India gain some footing in the match. Skipper Shubman Gill had valuable partnerships of 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89 in 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and a 144-run stand against Washington Sundar (42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six), helping India towards 587, scoring 269 in 387 balls himself, with 30 fours and three sixes.

Shoaib Bashir (3/167) was the pick of the bowlers for England, while Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue also managed two each.

In England's first innings, India had them on the ropes with 84/5. However, a 303-run stand between Harry Brook (158 in 234 balls, with 17 fours and a six) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (184* in 207 balls, with 21 fours and four sixes) sent India on an endless hunt for leather and answers. However, Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) got something out of the new ball and tumbled down the last five wickets for 20 runs, bundling them down for 407 runs, gaining a 180-run lead.

India's response was a swift half-century partnership between Jaiswal (28 in 22 balls, with six fours) and KL Rahul, who also continued his good run with a 10-boundary-filled 55 in 84 balls. A 110-run stand for the fourth wicket between Rishabh Pant (65 in 58 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and Gill upped the attack, while Gill managed yet another epic 175-run stand with Jadeja, scoring 161 in 162 balls, with 13 fours and eight sixes. Jadeja scored an unbeaten 69* in 118 balls, with five fours and a six. India declared at 427/6, leading by 607 runs and setting England a monstrous 608 runs to win.

England ended the fourth day at 72/3, with Harry Brook (15*) and Ollie Pope (24*) unbeaten.