July 8, 2025: England “ran second for five days” in the second Test but the hosts need to ensure they are well planned and prepared for facing the challenge of Jasprit Bumrah’s return for the third Test at Lord’s, says head coach Brendon McCullum.
Bumrah sat on the sidelines and watched his teammates complete their England demolition job in the second Test here to level the five-Test series 1-1, winning by a monumental 336 runs for their maiden Test win at Edgbaston.
After India's victory in the second Test, Bumrah, who is only scheduled to play in three of the five Tests in this series, was told by captain Shubman Gill that he would be making a comeback at the home of cricket. McCullum was quoted as saying, "Bumrah will more than likely come back in for the next one." As a result, McCullum suggested, "We've just got to make sure we're well planned, well prepared, and ready for the next challenge." “It will be quite different I imagine to this surface and that’s probably a good thing for us.” “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 added.
After winning the toss, the former New Zealand captain acknowledged that England had incorrectly assessed the pitch and put India in to bat. “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.
“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 five 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.” “We’re not rigid with our plans. We just thought that over the course of the five days, this pitch would get better to bat on, but as we saw, it didn't. Like England captain Ben Stokes, McCullum too praised India seamer Akash Deep who claimed his maiden five-wicket haul to return 6/99 on the final day to set up India’s win.
“I thought Akash Deep bowled outstandingly on that surface. Obviously growing up playing on those types of wickets, he hit his length and was able to utilise the surface where he could. He was exceptional,” McCullum said.