McCullum Calls for 'Spicy' Lord's Pitch After England's Edgbaston Defeat to India

Following England's significant defeat against India at Edgbaston, coach Brendon McCullum is hoping for a different surface at Lord's for the third Test. He's publicly requested a pitch with "more bounce and pace," echoing sentiments previously expressed by captain Ben Stokes, who described the Edgbaston wicket as a "subcontinent pitch."

McCullum told The Telegraph, he hopes for, “Something with a bit more pace, a bit more bounce, and maybe a little bit of sideways, hopefully.”

The second Test saw India dominate, securing a 337-run victory and leveling the five-match series at 1-1.

England has responded by adding Gus Atkinson to their squad, fueling speculation that Jofra Archer could also make his return to Test cricket after a four-year absence.

The England coach acknowledged a misjudgment regarding the Edgbaston pitch, praising the Indian bowlers for their effective utilization of the conditions.

"Obviously we made the decision to bowl first," McCullum stated.

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

McCullum highlighted the quality of India's batting performance, particularly praising Shubman Gill.

"They played brilliantly with the bat in hand. Shubman Gill was batting at an elite level."

He also noted how effectively the Indian bowlers exploited the conditions, specifically mentioning Akash Deep.

"Obviously, the way they bowled — Akash Deep in particular — they’ve grown up playing on those sorts of surfaces, where you’ve got to slam that slightly fuller length, and us bowling first presented them with those opportunities."

McCullum concluded by admitting the team didn't get everything right, acknowledging the impact of the footmarks on the game. "Obviously, the footmarks started to create some issues as well. You don’t always get every decision right.”