McCullum Calls for Lively Lord's Pitch After Edgbaston Defeat, Admits Misjudging Surface

Following England's crushing defeat at Edgbaston, coach Brendon McCullum has echoed captain Ben Stokes' assessment of the pitch as "subcontinent-like." McCullum is now advocating for a livelier surface at Lord's for the third Test, starting this Thursday.

McCullum expressed his desire for a pitch with "more bounce and pace" to The Telegraph, signaling a clear departure from the conditions at Edgbaston. He hopes the Lord's surface will offer something for the English seamers.

India's dominant 337-run victory in the second Test leveled the five-match series at 1-1.

England has bolstered their squad with the addition of Gus Atkinson, and there's anticipation that Jofra Archer could make his return to Test cricket after a four-year absence.

The England coach conceded that they misjudged the Edgbaston pitch, praising the Indian bowlers for effectively exploiting the conditions. He acknowledged the pitch favored India's bowling attack.

"We were thinking that the pitch would get better as the game went on, and we probably got that one wrong," McCullum stated. "We saw that it was probably more of a subcontinent-type pitch, and I thought India were exceptional."

McCullum specifically lauded Shubman Gill's batting performance and highlighted Akash Deep's bowling prowess. He noted that the Indian bowlers' familiarity with such surfaces gave them a distinct advantage.

"They played brilliantly with the bat in hand. Shubman Gill was batting at an elite level. Obviously, the way they bowled — Akash Deep in particular — they’ve grown up playing on those sorts of surfaces... presenting them with those opportunities."

He also pointed to the developing footmarks on the pitch as a factor that created challenges for the English batsmen. McCullum concluded by admitting, "You don’t always get every decision right.”