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A disappointed England captain Ben Stokes acknowledged that two critical periods during the match proved to be very costly for his team, ultimately leading to their hefty 336-run defeat against India in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 6. India, who were aiming for their first-ever Test victory at this ground, successfully bowled England out for 271 runs on Day 5. With this India levelled the five-match series at 1-1.
Reflecting on the loss, Stokes specifically talked about the two instances where England failed to seize opportunities. He pointed to the moment in India's first innings when they had them at 200 for 5, suggesting England should have capitalized further. Additionally, he mentioned their own batting collapse in response, where they found themselves at 80 for 5, as key turning points in the match.
"Tough one. Two moments. Having them at 200/5 and not being able to burst them open. And then being 80/5 it was always going to be tough to scrape it back from there. As it got deeper, the wicket didn't play the way we expected. It probably suited India more. We tried everything, changed plans, but when a team is on top of you, it's hard to wrestle it back," Stokes said at the post-match presentation.
Stokes also lauded India captain Shubman Gill for his exceptional batting performance. Gill first cracked a record-breaking double century (269) in the first essay and then followed it up with another century in the second innings. Stokes specifically mentioned Gill's remarkable double century followed by a quickfire innings of 161 which helped India post a colossal target of 608 runs.
"Shubman had an unbelievable game with the bat," Stokes added.
India recorded their first-ever win at Edgbaston and their victory was built on the outstanding performance of pace bowler Akash Deep. He achieved his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, returning figures of 6 wickets for 99 runs in the second innings. His crucial double strike during the rain-affected morning session, followed by the important dismissal of Steve Smith after lunch, effectively broke England's resistance. Akash Deep then wrapped up the match by taking the final wicket of Brydon Carse, triggering jubilant celebrations for India's long-awaited win at Edgbaston.
The action will now shift to Lord's where the third Test between India and England will be played from July 10
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