IND vs ENG: Edgbaston Defeat Might Force Brendan McCullum To Embrace Major Change At Lord's As 'Bazball' Faces Imminent Threat From India

India vs England: Shubman Gill's India crushed England by 336 runs to level the five-match Test series 1-1 at Edgbaston on Sunday. This is India's highest margin for a Test victory ever in cricket history.

Akash Deep, Shubman Gill led India To A brilliant Victory At Edgbaston

India went without Jasprit Bumrah and both Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill received flak for the decision, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Akash Deep emerged as India's troubleshooter as his sensational 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston opened up a new avenue for the visitors.

Earlier, Shubman Gill's record-breaking 269 helped India not pile up a massive 587 runs on the board. Gill shattered a number of records during his marathon innings in Birmingham. His epic knock now stands to be the highest Test score by an India in away matches. He also surpassed Virat Kohli's 254 against South Africa to register the highest knock by an Indian captain in Test cricket. Akash Deep went through the England batting lineup in the second innings and picked up a six-wicket haul, including the wickets of Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root.

England Planning New Approach After Edgbaston Defeat

With Bazball under imminent threat, England are believed to be planning to introduce a pace-friendly surface at the Lord's, something similar to the one which was used in the World Test Championship final last month. Producing batting-friendly pitches has been a major reason behind the implementation of Bazball. But the Edgbaston defeat has backfired on their strategy, and as per ESPN Cricinfo, England head coach Brendon McCullum requested a pitch "with a bit more pace, a bit more bounce, and maybe a little bit of sideways."

MCC head groundsman Karl McDermott insisted the pitch will offer plenty of resources for an exciting Test match. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he said, “It'll be a blockbuster either way, but I think it's going to set up for a cracker - especially if there's plenty of life in it [the pitch].”

Also Read: Ben Stokes And Brendon McCullum Likely To Make Big Changes For Lord's Test, New Squad Addition Set To Bolster England's Bowling

India already have enough firepower in their ranks and the return of Jasprit Bumrah will further boost their chances at Lord's. Bumrah already showed what he is capable of in the first Test at Headingley and should England prepare a fast-bowling track, the 31-year-old would be ready with his magic once again.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: India Skipper Shubman Gill Sets Sights On Surpassing Virat Kohli's Elusive Milestones Ahead Of Lord's Test