Australia captain Pat Cummins couldn’t help but take a cheeky dig at the condition of the pitch at Edgbaston after India’s dominating 336-run win over England in the second Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
As guided by young captain Shubman Gill, India wrote history by not merely posting their first-ever Test victory at Edgbaston but also doing so comprehensively. Having heaped on a record 608-run target, India bowled England out for 271, clinching one of their largest away triumphs in recent times.
In the meantime, Cummins oversaw Australia’s strong 133-run victory over the West Indies in the second Test of their own three-match series in Grenada. At the post-match press conference, the Aussie pace bowler was questioned on his views about the Edgbaston pitch and he did not mince his words.
“Was I watching? Most likely Marnus was,” Cummins smiled. “We’re monitoring the series for sure. Seriously, though, who’d want to be a bowler on that deck? I heard somewhere it was the third flattest England had ever seen – not surprised!”
Also Read: Sourav Ganguly Gives Strong Reality Check To Shubman Gill, Says ‘The Pressure Will Build In…’
Drawing comparisons to the pitch in Grenada, Cummins described the glaring difference between the two grounds.
“Test cricket here and Test cricket there – feels like two totally different sports. But it’s turning out to be a cracking series. It’s 1-1 now. I didn’t see all of it, but the scorelines speak for themselves,” he further added.
With anticipation mounting ahead of the third Test at Lord’s from July 10, England head coach Brendon McCullum has made an explicit pitch request to MCC’s head groundsman Karl McDermott. Speaking about the lively surface utilized in the World Test Championship final last month, McCullum stated he’d appreciate “a bit more pace, bounce, and some sideways movement” in the pivotal encounter.
It’s going to be a blockbuster regardless, but a bit of life in a pitch could make it extra special,” McCullum said to ESPNcricinfo.
With the series now evenly poised, everyone has their eyes on Lord’s as both teams look to gain the initiative in what is becoming a classic Test match.
