“Don’t think it was the pitch England wanted” - Former captain’s massive claim after 336-run loss in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has said that Ben Stokes and co. probably did not get the choice of pitch that they wanted as they succumbed to a heavy 336-run loss against India in the second Test. The hosts labeled the surface as a 'subcontinent' type pitch after being bowled out for 271 in the fourth innings on Day 5.

Ben Stokes had backed his team's ability to chase by choosing to bowl first upon winning the toss. The decision backfired as Team India piled on 587 in the first innings, courtesy of Shubman Gill's historic 269. England, in reply, struggled against the new ball twice, and conceded a heavy lead despite Jamie Smith and Harry Brook putting on a massive partnership in the middle.

Team India needed seven wickets on the final day to level the series. Although rain shaved off some overs early on, the bowlers stepped up to wrap up the contest with a session to spare. Akash Deep, in particular, was able to move the ball off the surface while Ravindra Jadeja was in play due to the rough patches formed on the pitch.

Nasser Hussain opined that the Edgbaston surface gave India an advantage since their pacers are accustomed to bowling on such wickets back home.

"Even though it was still pretty dead on day five, the Indian seamers were getting the ball to move about off the cracks and dryness in the surface. Some of that was down to the toss. A pitch naturally dries out over the course of a game and is therefore at its driest at the end of the match. India’s bowlers were brought up having to cope with those conditions," Nasser Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

"I don’t think it was the pitch England wanted. It was much more akin to what Indian players are used to. England want flat pitches, but they also want pitches with some pace in them, like Headingley, or even something with a bit of grass on it. But this was not one they enjoyed playing on," he continued.

Akash Deep finished with a fine ten-wicket haul for the contest, ending with figures of 6-99 in the second innings. Siraj had also stepped up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings, picking up 6-70 to bowl out England for 407 inside 90 overs.

The Indian spinners, on the other hand, were wicketless in the first innings, and picked up one wicket each on the final day.

"The bowlers looked dead on their feet" - Nasser Hussain concerned with England bowlers' lack of rest in ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

England played an unchanged team from the first Test, opting against rushing Jofra Archer back into action. The pacers were made to toil hard in the field in Edgbaston after bowling 151 overs in the first innings. Brydon Carse was struggling with a niggle on his foot, while the rest of the bowling attack looked winded as well.

England had to turn to the likes of Joe Root and Harry Brook for a spell to help their pacers recover. Nasser Hussain highlighted the lack of rest for English bowlers in between innings as the hosts were bowled out for 89.3 overs in the first innings.

"In one way, this big defeat was actually a by-product of them playing on flat pitches and scoring runs so quickly. If you’re going to score quickly, but only bat for 90 overs, you’re going to be back in the field very soon. They bowled on each of the first four days, played back-to-back matches, and bowling first at Headingley and then here has taken it out of them," Nasser Hussain wrote.

"It means they are now carrying tired bodies — the bowlers looked dead on their feet here — whereas India injected some new blood into their team in the form of Deep, in particular. England are scoring runs but getting out regularly, so combine all of that with two Tests in two weeks and they now need to rejig their bowling attack for this week’s third Test at Lord’s," he concluded.

The third Test between India and England is scheduled to be played at Lord's from Thursday, July 10, onwards.