The captain and coach duo of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum is leaving no stone unturned to weave a masterplan for England to counter India challenge in the crucial third Test at Lord's which is set to start from July 10, Thursday.
Stokes-McCullum's private meeting with Lord's staff ahead of IND vs ENG 3rd Test
England's captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, along with Lord’s officials, held a private meeting on Tuesday (July 8) morning to discuss the pitch conditions for the third Test against India, Mail Sport reported. The meeting, which lasted for approximately 20 minutes am, also included Lord’s head groundsman Karl McDermott, the MCC’s director of cricket operations Rob Lynch, and England selector Luke Wright. The discussion arose following England’s disappointment with the pitch conditions at Edgbaston, particularly after their significant 336-run defeat in the second Test, which prompted McCullum to advocate for a pitch offering more ‘pace, bounce and sideways movement’.
During the meeting, both McDermott and Lynch, who shares a playing history with McCullum from their time in New Zealand, were able to reassure the England management that the wicket prepared for the upcoming Test would meet their desired specifications. This reassurance came after Ben Stokes had described the Edgbaston pitch as ‘more of a subcontinent-type pitch’. In preparation for the third Test, England opted to forgo training on Tuesday, with Stokes, McCullum, and a few other team members choosing to play golf instead. The team was scheduled to resume their training session on Wednesday.
Following England's drubbing at Edgbaston, Stokes also talked about his team's strategy for the third Test. He said that they will be trying to hit India hard and will be gunning for a win at Lord's. Stokes acknowledged the high caliber of both teams and anticipated a closely contested series with both sides experiencing periods of dominance and setbacks. He stated
"This was always going to be a series (in) which moments ebb and flow, the results were going to ebb and flow because there are two very good teams going at each other. We came out on top at Headingley, and they came out on top in the last game. When you have two good sides going at it against each other, you are going to see that. I don't think we feel like we have the edge over anyone. We respect our opposition, whoever that may be. We'll be coming out this week, trying to hit them hard and obviously trying to come away with a win," Stokes said at the pre-match press conference on July 9.
India vs England's head-to-head record at Lord's
Talking about their track record at the iconic Lord's stadium, over the 19 Test encounters played at the historic venue since their first meeting in 1932, the Indian team has only managed to secure win on three occasions. Four matches have concluded in a draw, while England have won the remaining twelve ties.