Pat Cummins mocks Edgbaston pitch after Shubman Gill leads India to emphatic win: ‘Who wants to be a bowler?’

Shubman Gill’s India is celebrating a commanding 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston, leveling the five-match series 1-1. Key performances from Akash Deep, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj helped India pull off a stunning win on English soil. However, much of the conversation has centered around the pitches prepared for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with many experts criticizing the lack of support for bowlers.

Australia captain Pat Cummins took a swipe at the Edgbaston pitch ahead of the second Test, jokingly asking, “Who would even want to be a bowler?” His comments came after Australia’s 133-run win over the West Indies at Grenada, contrasting the bowling-friendly Caribbean track with the flat Edgbaston surface.

Following the defeat, England captain Ben Stokes admitted the pitch didn’t play as expected, noting it offered more help to India and behaved like a “sub-continent” wicket on Days 4 and 5. Since adopting the aggressive ‘Bazball’ style, England’s home pitches have become flatter, making life difficult for bowlers. The same issue was evident in the first Test, where the seamers and spinners struggled to make an impact, allowing England to chase down a massive target and take a 1-0 lead.

Cummins elaborated on the stark difference between the Grenada pitch and Edgbaston, calling the latter “the third flattest wicket in England’s cricket history.” He highlighted how Test cricket in England and the Caribbean felt like two different sports, but added that the series was shaping up to be exciting.

Despite India’s win, Shubman Gill, who was named Player of the Match, criticized the Dukes ball used in England, saying it quickly loses its hardness and makes life very tough for bowlers. “It’s very difficult for the bowlers. More than the wicket, maybe the ball gets soft very quickly. I don’t know what it is, but it’s difficult to get wickets in such conditions,” he explained.

Gill stressed that without help from the pitch or the ball, bowling becomes a frustrating task. “If the ball is doing something, you can plan and it becomes fun. But when nothing’s there, a lot is out of your control,” he said.

India and England will now face off in the third Test at Lord’s starting Thursday, July 10, with fans eager to see how the series unfolds.