England head coach Brendon McCullum admitted that their decision to bowl first at Edgbaston was wrong after they suffered a mammoth loss of 336 runs against India in the second Test of the series on Sunday. The former New Zealand captain said the pitch didn’t play out the way they expected it to go through the course of five days.
England had India in a spot of bother at 211-5 but the visitors were able to post a par score of 587 runs on the board. The tourists then declared after scoring 427 in the second innings and breached the 1000-run mark in a Test match for the first time.
England had won the opening Test after chasing down 371 runs but the same strategy of bowling first on a placid track didn’t work at Edgbaston.
Brendon McCullum said in the post-match presentation, “I think, as the game unfolded, we probably looked back on that toss and said did we miss an opportunity there and it’s probably fair. We didn’t expect that the wicket would play quite as it did and hence we probably got it slightly wrong. But we did have them 200 for 5 and we weren’t able to capitalise on that position and when you win the toss and bowl you’re hoping to, well you’re not anticipating the opposition’s going to score 580 and then from that point we’re behind the game.”
England was kept in the game after Jamie Smith and Harry Brook added 303 runs in the first innings.
“It was only a brilliant partnership from Jamie Smith and Harry Brook which gave us any balance in the game throughout the five days.”
On the other hand, McCullum showered praise on Akash Deep after the Indian fast bowler returned with match figures of 10-187.
“I thought Akash Deep bowled outstandingly on that surface. He was exceptional. Bumrah will more than likely come back in for the next one so we’ve just got to make sure we’re well planned and well prepared and ready for the next challenge. It will be quite different I imagine to this surface and that’s probably a good thing for us.”
The third Test match between India and England will be played at Lord’s, London from 10th July onwards.
