'India Are Not Afraid Of Bazball' - Former England spinner bold take after ENG vs IND Edgbaston Test

India’s thumping 336-run win over England at Edgbaston has made a strong statement, with former England spinner Monty Panesar saying that the visitors have shown they are not afraid of England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach. This victory was not only India’s first-ever Test win at Edgbaston but also their biggest away win in terms of runs. With the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series now level at 1-1, India will head into the third Test at Lord’s with great momentum.

Speaking to IANS, Panesar said, “India will gain a lot of confidence from this. It shows they're not afraid of England's Bazball approach. There's a great deal of excitement and belief in the team. Shubman Gill has shown exceptional leadership; also, he has batted really well.” India was under pressure after a five-wicket loss in Leeds and entered the game without Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. But Akash Deep stepped up in a big way to fill the gap.

The fast bowler produced a remarkable spell on a flat pitch, taking 10 wickets in the match to become only the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma to claim a ten-wicket haul in England. He got great support from Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, who each chipped in with a wicket in England’s second innings.

Shubman Gill's Captaincy and Akash Deep's Brilliance Stand Out

The win was also a big personal achievement for Shubman Gill, who led the team to victory in his first Test as captain. With scores of 269 and 161, Gill ended the match with 430 runs—the second-highest in Test history behind Graham Gooch’s 456, which also came against India in 1990.

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Panesar praised India’s bowling unit for taking all 20 wickets, saying it’s a big achievement. He added, “They've found a solid bowling combination, and with Jasprit Bumrah likely to return for the next match, the bowling attack will only get stronger. Akash Deep has an excellent average with the new ball. He's a genuine new-ball bowler, and he bowled really well—a remarkable comeback for him.”

Panesar also highlighted England’s problems, especially the performance of Shoaib Bashir, who gave away 286 runs in the match. “It’s troubling for England that their spinner can’t even deliver maiden overs consistently,” he said. The two teams now move to London for the third Test at Lord’s starting July 10, with the series finely balanced.