Welcome to Edgbaston — England’s fortress and India’s long-standing headache. In eight attempts here, India have never won. Their last decent memory? A draw in 1986. Their most haunting? The 2022 heartbreak when Root and Bairstow chased 378 with ease — the unofficial birth of Bazball.
This year’s pitch has all the classic English ingredients: 11mm of grass, a dry base, and cloudy skies. Seamers should have a party on Day 1, with history backing the bowl-first call — 23 of 56 Tests here have been won by the team bowling first.
But things shift quickly here. Day 2 and 3 get better for batters, and by Day 4 and 5, if there’s play, spinners might come into the game. India could back Kuldeep or Washington to make the most of those late overs.
Will India finally break their Edgbaston curse? The surface might just have a say.
