"Not sure if the series is being held in England" - Former batter's brutal dig at pitches used in ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former England batter Owais Shah has slammed the home team management for using batting-friendly pitches in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. The 46-year-old pointed out how Team India have traditionally struggled with the bat in English conditions, unlike the first two Tests at Headingley and Edgbaston.

The remarks came as the tourists beat England by a mammoth 336 runs in the second Test to register their first win at Edgbaston and level the series at 1-1.

Owais Shah told TalkSport’s YouTube channel:

“00:10 – I am not sure if the series is being held in England. Looking at the pitches, I am a little bit baffled by it, to be honest. The ball has not moved off the straight, which is what happens in England. That’s why it’s called one of the toughest to bat in. And the Indian batting lineup who have historically struggled with the moving ball, and not just India, everyone has struggled.”

“Of course, they’ve got some world-class players in the past who have done well, of course, but another world-class player in their captain,” he added.

Like former England captain Michael Vaughan, Shah has backed England to win the five-match series by a 3-1 margin despite a hammering at Edgbaston. He continued:

“00:40 – But I just think that England got to make sure the conditions suit the home team like they did in the winter. It did certainly suited the home team last winter when India toured England. So, hopefully, things can change around for the next three Test matches and I reckon we should, I still back England to win 3-1.”

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“We probably got it slightly wrong” – England head coach defends Edgbaston pitch

England head coach Brendon McCullum recently defended the Edgbaston pitch by saying they made the wrong call to bowl first against India in the second Test. He told BBC Test Match Special:

“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. We didn't expect that the wicket would play quite as it did and hence we probably got it slightly wrong."

"We thought this pitch might get better to bat on as we went through the five days but as we saw it didn't." he added.

Meanwhile, the third Test between the two teams will be played at the Lord’s in London, beginning July 10.