England cricket team head coach Brendon MCCullum admitted that the team’s decision to bowl first in the ENG vs IND 2nd Test costed them the match. The hosts were handed a mammoth 336-run thrashing by India who went on to secure their first Test win at the Edgbaston. Stokes’ decision to bowl first in the contest left many experts baffled and after the loss, McCullum did not hesitate to accept that England had got it wrong.
McCullum blames England’s decision to bowl first for loss
Speaking to reporters at the post-match press conference, McCullum revealed that the team was taken aback as they didn’t expect the wicket to play like it did and that they had gotten it wrong. He pointed out that England had failed to capitalize when India were reduced to 200/5.
“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. But we did have them 200 for 5 and we weren’t able to capitalise on that position and when you win the toss and bowl you’re hoping to, well you’re not anticipating the opposition’s going to score 580 and then from that point we’re behind the game,” McCullum stated.
The England coach further noted that England’s praiseworthy performance in the ENG vs IND 2nd Test came from the partnership between Harry Brook and Jamie Smith. He said that while England were not rigid with their plans, the pitch did not get better to bat on as they though it would over the course of five days. He further heaped praise on Akash Deep for hitting the right lengths on a pitch he compared to what one gets in the sub-continent.
“We’re not rigid with our plans. It’s just 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.
