Nasser Hussain has labelled England seamer Matthew Potts as the "find of the summer" after the Durham man continued his impressive start to international cricket against India.
Potts took two wickets on the opening day as the tourists finished day one on 338-7, eventually going on to finish 416 all out. After trapping Hanuma Vihari LBW, he then took the prize wicket of Virat Kohli, clean bowling the iconic No 4.
It means the 23-year-old already has 14 Test wickets to his name after taking 12 in the 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand. During that series, he removed Kiwi captain Kane Williamson three times.
And speaking on Sky Sports at the end of day one on Friday, Hussain was full of praise for the Sunderland-born star: "Potts again, an excellent day, he has been the find of the summer for England with the ball," he said.
If you give him that before the start of the summer, you're going to get Williamson three times and Kohli just after lunch on day one of the fourth test, he would have taken it."
However, the former England captain also noted one area where the seamer needs to improve. Potts already notched 91 first-class wickets with Durham, but has noticeably had more success against right handed batsmen.
"To the right hander it angles in and nips away," Hussain, said, of his bowling style. "To the left hander he's not quite as effective. Looking at his stats in first class cricket he's something like 22 or 23 against right handers. He's got 40 against left handers.
"He's got Broad and Anderson at the other end to learn from against left handers. They are brilliant against them. It's just an area he's going to have to improve on."
Having had a brilliant start to life under new England captain Ben Stokes, England will star day four on Monday up against it after being bowled out for 284 in their first innings, despite another sublime ton from Jonny Bairstow. The Yorkshireman made 106 to rescue matters somewhat from 83-5.
England then struck early as James Anderson removed Shubman Gill and Stuart Broad dismissed Vihari. Skipper Stokes then prized out Kohli to reduce India to 75-3.
But an unbeaten 50 partnership from opener Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant took Jasprit Bumrah's side to 125-3 at stumps, a lead of 257. It leaves the hosts again needing quick wickets at Edgbaston to have any chance of a series-levelling win.
With India 2-1 up, the fifth Test has been rescheduled from last summer, after being called off because of Covid-19 concerns. Initially, the game was set to be played at Old Trafford.
