Birmingham, July 1 . India arrive at Edgbaston tomorrow for the second Test of the five-match series carrying a statistic as extraordinary as it is painful: they are the first team in first-class cricket history to score five centuries in a match and still walk away defeated. That historic misstep at Headingley — after being in command for most of the game, has left fans bewildered and has handed England a significant psychological edge.
Despite blistering centuries from Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (who scored tons in both innings), KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, India collapsed in the key moments. Their lower-order fell away just when it mattered, and a passive bowling display on the final day allowed England to chase down an imposing target with five wickets to spare, a result that flipped the tone of the series entirely.
Now, the caravan rolls into Edgbaston Stadium, a venue steeped in tradition and deafening spectators’ energy, but one where India have never tasted success. In eight previous Tests here, India have lost six and drawn two, a daunting record they will look to rewrite. A loss here would see England stretch their lead to 2-0 with three matches remaining, while an Indian win would square the series and breathe life into their campaign.
England too have had their recent struggles at this venue, losing three of their last five Tests here. But this version of England — riding high under Ben Stokes and the unapologetically aggressive ‘Bazball’ strategy — feels different. They’ve now won four of their last five Tests, including the stirring comeback in Leeds, and look hungry to dominate again.
Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have kept faith in a winning combination, naming an unchanged XI. There’s still no spot for Jofra Archer, though he remains with the squad. Local hero Chris Woakes will lead the seam attack alongside Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse. Tongue and Stokes were game-changers in Leeds, each bagging four wickets in India’s first innings.
India, in contrast, are expected to make at least one tactical change. With the Edgbaston pitch likely to dry out and take spin from Day Four onwards, Kuldeep Yadav is expected to replace Prasidh Krishna. Captain Gill will be counting on Jasprit Bumrah to rediscover his rhythm and menace, especially at a ground where England tend to flourish with the bat.
In that opening Test, India’s top order was in sublime touch: Gill scored 147, Pant struck twin centuries (134 and 118), KL Rahul made 137, and Jaiswal added 101 to the tally. Bumrah led the attack with five wickets. But England responded with similar steel — Ollie Pope anchored the innings with 106, Harry Brook added 99, and Ben Duckett fired with scores of 62 and 149. On the bowling front, Tongue and Stokes delivered under pressure.
The Edgbaston pitch promises an intriguing battle. Dry and true early on, it’s expected to offer moderate bounce before bringing spinners into the contest later. A first-innings total of 400-450 will be considered a benchmark, and with both sides enjoying massive fan support, the atmosphere is set to be electric.
The pressure is now firmly on India to bounce back and make history at a venue where they’ve never won. For England, it’s an opportunity to tighten their grip on the series and turn the screw further. All eyes are on Birmingham — a battleground where form, history, and momentum collide.
Probable XIs:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav.
. . A. 1033
