We got the toss wrong, missed an opportunity, says McCullum

England coach Brendon McCullum admitted the team erred in choosing to bowl first in their 336-run defeat to India at Edgbaston. He praised India’s performance, especially Shubman Gill and Akash Deep, and expects Bumrah’s return for the next Test.

HYDERABAD: England head coach Brendon McCullum said England got the toss wrong at Edgbaston, where his team suffered a humiliating 336-run defeat against India in the second Test, after opting to bowl first on a surface that did not develop as they expected throughout the match.

“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,” McCullum said.

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“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,” he explained after the loss.

“It was only a brilliant partnership from Jamie Smith and Harry Brook that gave us any balance in the game throughout the five days. That’s something we’ve got to look at,” McCullum said.

“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 said.

“I thought Akash Deep bowled outstandingly on that surface,” McCullum said. “Obviously growing up playing on those types of wickets, he hit his length and was able to utilise the surface where he could,” he added.

“He was exceptional. Bumrah will more than likely come back in for the next one so we’ve just got to make sure we’re well planned and well prepared and ready for the next challenge. It will be quite different, I imagine, from this surface and that’s probably a good thing for us,” the England head coach said.

“We ran second for five days. I thought India played exceptionally well. Shubman Gill was at an elite level and played brilliantly on this pitch. We weren’t quite able to play how we wanted to on it and they thoroughly deserved to win,” he said