“Spending 151 overs in the dirt in any scenario is pretty tough”: England assistant coach on his team’s struggle against India

 Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj found life in a seemingly lifeless pitch to reduce England t

o 25-3 with three edges into the slips cordon.

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — India backed up Shubman Gill’s phenomenal 269 with three cheap England wickets on a dream day of test cricket for the visitors at Edgbaston on Thursday.

After Gill’s 8 1/2-hour innings led India to 587 all out — its highest score in England in 35 years — pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj found life in a seemingly lifeless pitch to reduce England to 25-3 with three edges into the slips cordon.

By stumps on day two, Harry Brook and Joe Root rebuilt England to 77-3, trailing India by 510 runs on the first innings.

Brook was 30 not out and Root 18 not out, but the day was dominated by Gill, the new India captain who calmly binged on a flat pitch to smash India test records.

England was knackered, understandable after sending the Indians into bat first then needing 151 overs and more than five sessions to bowl them out.

“Spending 151 overs in the dirt in any scenario is pretty tough. There’s some tired minds and tired bodies,” England assistant coach Jeetan Patel said.