India's Birmingham Jinx: Can Gill's Squad Defy History After Leeds Loss?

After a disappointing five-wicket loss in the opening Test at Headingley in Leeds, Shubman Gill's India seeks redemption in the second Test of the five-match series against England.

India have never won a Test match in Birmingham. Courtesy: Reuters

India faces pressure to rally and sustain their aspirations of securing a Test series victory on English grounds for the first time since 2007.

Can India reverse their fortunes at Edgbaston? Will they draw inspiration from their comeback victory at home last year, where they recovered from a 28-run defeat in the Hyderabad Test?

A Look at Historical Trends

India's track record in Birmingham offers little encouragement. Since 1967, they have participated in eight Tests at Edgbaston, losing seven. Their sole draw occurred in 1986, during a historic series triumph under Kapil Dev's leadership.

During that match, India, pursuing a target of 236, encountered significant difficulty at 105 for five. A resilient, unbroken 69-run partnership between Mohammad Azharuddin and Kiran More salvaged the innings, securing a draw for the visitors.

More recently, in 2022, India squandered a prime opportunity to break their Birmingham curse. After setting England a target of 378, they seemed well-positioned for victory. However, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow forged a formidable 269-run partnership, guiding the hosts to a record-breaking chase.

As India prepares to compete in Birmingham once more, they are keen to dispel the memories of the Leeds setback. A comeback is imperative, but history indicates that it will be a difficult task.

Failure in Birmingham would render salvaging the series, let alone winning it, an arduous challenge for India.

Key Points:

• India has never won a Test match in Birmingham.
• India lost the first Test in Leeds by 5 wickets.
• India won a Test series against England last year after trailing 0-1.