IND vs ENG: McCullum Blames This Stokes Decision for Embarrassing Defeat

"We were second-best for five days," said Brendon McCullum. "India played exceptionally well. Shubman Gill played brilliantly on this pitch. We couldn't play the way we wanted to, and India thoroughly deserved the win."

Following England's crushing 336-run defeat in the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston, England's head coach, Brendon McCullum, conceded that the home team hadn't performed to their potential and that the decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved incorrect.

Chasing a record 608 runs, England were bowled out for 271 on the fifth day's second session. India's series-levelling victory saw captain Shubman Gill score 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second, while Akash Deep took 10 wickets in the match.

McCullum Admits Bowling First Was a Mistake

Brendon McCullum stated, “We were second best for five days. India played exceptionally well. Shubman Gill played brilliantly on this pitch. We didn't play as well as we wanted to, and India thoroughly deserved the win.” He added, “Our decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved wrong. We didn't expect the pitch to play so well.”

Lack of Stringency in Plans a Concern

Speaking to BBC Test Match Special, McCullum mentioned that at one point in the first innings, they had reduced India to 200 for five wickets but failed to capitalise on that situation. India went on to score 587 runs, putting England on the back foot. He acknowledged Brook and Smith's 300+ partnership in the first innings as a positive, but expressed concern about the team's lack of stringency in sticking to their plans.

Jofra Archer Likely to Play in Lord's Test

When asked if England missed an opportunity to win due to Jasprit Bumrah's absence, McCullum responded, “I think Akash Deep bowled exceptionally well on that pitch. Obviously, he's grown up playing on wickets like that, and he bowled his length, he was able to utilise the pitch. He was exceptional.” McCullum indicated that Jofra Archer is likely to play in the next Test at Lord's, starting on 10th July.

India's Historic Win in Birmingham

India defeated England by 336 runs in the second Test match. This is the first win for any Asian team in Birmingham. India scored 587 runs in the first innings and bowled out England for 407, establishing a significant lead of 180 runs. Aided by Shubman Gill's century, India declared their second innings at 427 for six, setting a target of 608 runs for England. England's second innings ended at 271 on the fifth day, securing India's victory.