India defeated England by a massive 336 runs in the second Test at Edgbaston. This win helped India level the five-match series 1-1. Earlier, England had taken the lead after winning the first Test.

From the beginning, India looked in control. Their batters scored freely, and their bowlers applied constant pressure. As a result, England never got a chance to recover. India outplayed them in every department.

Stokes blames the pitch after the loss

After the defeat, England captain Ben Stokes suggested that the pitch favored India. He said it behaved more like a subcontinent track as the match progressed.

“To be honest, it’s probably ended up being more of a subcontinent pitch as it’s got deeper and deeper into the game. You know, there certainly a little bit in it to start off with, and I think we exposed that very, very well early on,” Stokes told BBC Test Match Special.

He further explained, “But yeah, then just as it sort of got deeper and deeper, it just, yeah, it became a real tough slog for us and obviously, with the Indian attack and the conditions that they’ used to, they were used to and used some of how to expose those conditions, just sort of a little bit better than that can happen sometimes.”

Fans criticize Stokes for his remarks

Soon after Stokes made the comment, fans reacted sharply on social media. Many accused him of making excuses. Some even called him a “crybaby” for blaming the pitch instead of admitting England’s poor performance.

Stokes can't bat vs spin to save his life anywhere in the world so he blames pitches even in his beloved fortress Edgbaston calling them subcontinental. The mental gymnastics of this guy… https://t.co/3d21BWy3i4

— Zainub Razvi (@zainubrazvi) July 7, 2025

Lol. Typical Stokes. Amongst the biggest crybabies in sport.
If it was a subcontinent pitch, Jadeja would have run through way earlier.
And stop asking them to make awful flat pitches and that'll be the end of your so called "Bazball".#ENGvIND https://t.co/01H7AnsMB5

— Pravir Singh (@Pravir21) July 6, 2025

Akash Deep and Siraj lead India’s pace attack

Meanwhile, Indian pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj stepped up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Their fiery spells were key to India’s historic win at Edgbaston.

Akash Deep was outstanding. He took 6 wickets for 99 runs in the second innings. Earlier, he had taken 4 wickets in the first. With match figures of 10 for 187, he now holds the record for the best bowling by an Indian in a Test match in England. He dismissed Joe Root and Jamie Smith on Day 5, sealing India’s win.

At the same time, Siraj delivered a brilliant performance. He took 6 for 70 in England’s first innings. His early breakthroughs gave India full control of the game.

Jamie Smith stands tall for England

Despite the defeat, Jamie Smith stood out for England. In the first innings, he scored an unbeaten 184. In the second, he added 88 more runs. However, his efforts went in vain as the rest of the English lineup collapsed.

Stokes admits India outskilled them

In the end, Stokes acknowledged India’s superiority. He said his team got outplayed and accepted the result. “But it’s nothing to be too disheartened about. We can take being outskilled, and we’ve certainly been outskilled this week,” he said.