England captain Ben Stokes’ recent remarks on the Edgbaston surface, following his team’s humiliating 336-run defeat to India in the second Test, have drawn flak. The 34-year-old attributed England’s loss to the pitch, which he claimed favored the visiting Indian side.
India won its first Test match at Edgbaston after 58 years, breaking a nine-match winless streak at the venue. Displaying immense grit and resilience, the Men in Blue dominated the second Test to level the five-match series 1-1. They were guided by an impressive showing from captain Shubman Gill and brilliant fast bowling from the Indian pace duo of Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj.
For England, the margin of defeat at Edgbaston exposed both their bowling and batting units. They managed to score only 678 runs across both innings on a flat track where India scored 1,014 runs. Furthermore, there was a glaring contrast in the bowling displays of the two sides, as the Indian bowlers, despite the surface, claimed all 20 wickets, while the home side managed only 16.
“To be honest, it’s probably ended up being more of a subcontinent pitch as it’s got deeper and deeper into the game… They were used to and used some to expose those conditions, just sort of a little bit better.”
Ben Stokes told BBC’s Test Match Special
Despite the embarrassing loss, England captain Stokes was quick to shrug off criticism, emphasizing other factors that led to the team’s defeat to India. Stokes claimed that the Edgbaston pitch favored the visitors, as it played more like tracks in the Indian subcontinent.
He explained that there was some help for England at the start, but it got tougher later on, and added that the Indian bowling attack, being accustomed to the conditions, managed to perform slightly better. Nonetheless, Stokes’ comments did not go down well with English fans, who labelled them as excuses and lambasted the captain for attempting to take credit away from the Indian team.
Fans Slam Ben Stokes’ ‘Subcontinent Conditions’ Excuse Following Edgbaston Defeat
England cricket team fans and critics took to social media to slam Ben Stokes after his ‘subcontinent conditions’ remark aimed at India’s well-deserved 336-run victory over the Three Lions at Edgbaston. Stokes controversially claimed that the pitch did not really suit his English side.
One fan highlighted the 18 wickets taken by Indian fast bowlers, compared to just nine by England’s pacers, which they pointed out displayed the home side’s shortcomings with the new ball and was the reason for their defeat. Another fan believed England simply could not match India’s performance, urging Stokes to be honest and acknowledge his errors. Here are some of the top reactions from fans:
A few fans argued that the 34-year-old England captain should have blamed his bowlers’ performances rather than blaming the pitch. Another user trolled him by saying the England team lost 20 wickets without Jasprit Bumrah. Many fans also trolled players like Harry Brook and Ben Duckett for getting exposed on a batting-friendly pitch. Overall, the majority of fans didn’t entertain Stokes’ excuse after losing the match.