England Eye Lord's Test After Edgbaston Thrashing; McCullum Wary of Bumrah's Return

Following a resounding 336-run defeat to India at Edgbaston, England's head coach Brendon McCullum has shifted his focus to the upcoming Test at Lord's. He conceded that misjudging the pitch after winning the toss contributed to their downfall and lauded India's dominant batting performance, particularly that of captain Shubman Gill.

"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," McCullum stated. "They played brilliantly with the bat in hand. Shubman Gill was batting at an elite level."

McCullum singled out Akash Deep for his excellent bowling display © Getty

McCullum specifically praised Akash Deep for his exceptional bowling. The Indian pacer's ten-wicket haul significantly influenced the match's outcome. McCullum noted that Akash Deep's familiarity with the conditions allowed him to exploit them more effectively than the English bowlers.

India's bowlers consistently bowled fuller lengths (63% of deliveries) compared to England (53%). This approach proved more fruitful, with Indian quicks taking 18 wickets for 454 runs, averaging a wicket every 25 balls. In contrast, England managed only nine wickets for 624 runs, averaging a wicket every 99 balls.

"Obviously the way they bowled, Akash Deep in particular, they've grown up playing on those sorts of surfaces where you've got to slam that slightly fuller length, and us bowling first presented them with those opportunities. Obviously the footmarks started to create some issues as well. You don't always get every decision right."

McCullum highlighted the 303-run partnership between Harry Brook and Jamie Smith as the only bright spot for England in an otherwise one-sided Test. "It was only a brilliant partnership from Jamie Smith and Harry Brook which gave us any balance in the game throughout the five days. That's something we've got to look at," he added.

Looking ahead to the third Test at Lord's, with the series level at 1-1, McCullum expressed hope that the pitch would favor England's strengths. However, he also acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to return to India's lineup.

"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," McCullum concluded.