"England winning from here seems improbable" - Aakash Chopra on the state of ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Shubman Gill and company are the only team that can win the Birmingham Test, based on historical numbers. He highlighted that while the match can end in a draw, an England win seems improbable.

India posted a mammoth 587-run total in their first innings of the second Test against England in Birmingham. The hosts ended Day 2 (Thursday, July 3) at 77/3 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 510 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener pointed out that England logically don't seem to have a chance to win the Birmingham Test.

"You have scored enough runs to feel you are in a great space. Logically speaking, if we turn back the pages of Test cricket history, only one team can win from here, that is Team India, or else the match can end in a draw. England winning from here seems improbable," he said (6:25).

However, Chopra added that historical numbers don't matter as modern-day Test cricket moves at a fast pace, with England being one of the foremost exponents of the aggressive approach.

"However, things have changed dramatically because modern-day Test cricket has been played differently, the way people are approaching the game, and the speed at which it is going, and England is one side that does that," he observed.

While acknowledging that India are way ahead in the game, Aakash Chopra noted that they would want to bowl England out on the third day. He added that the Indian spinners need to come into the picture, highlighting that the ball had turned a little when Joe Root castled Washington Sundar on Day 2.

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"Pitches have become flatter" - Aakash Chopra on Bazball's impact on surfaces used for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

England successfully chased a 371-run target in the first Test against India. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra highlighted that the pitches in England aren't as bowler-friendly as they used to be.

"If you see the conditions, pitches have become flatter, whether you play at Headingley or Edgbaston. I am saying you will get a flat pitch at Lord's as well. The typical and traditional English conditions, where you have to play cautiously, are part of the pages of history," he said (7:05).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the boundary sizes have also been significantly reduced to allow batters to play aggressively.

"These are not that difficult conditions to bat. If you see the boundaries, the Edgbaston boundaries have been kept at 60 meters because Bazball encourages you to play shots in the air. Mishits should go for sixes, you should get fours easily, and the scoring rate should be fast," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Dukes ball is also not moving as much as it used to. He wondered if that could be accidental or by design, highlighting that English conditions have been changed to work in favor of Bazball.