'Who Wants To Be A Bowler Over There?' - Pat Cummins Slams Edgbaston Pitch After India’s Historic Win

After India sealed a historic Test victory at Edgbaston under Shubman Gill's captaincy, Australian skipper Pat Cummins offered a cheeky yet sharp take on the Birmingham pitch, questioning its fairness for bowlers in modern Test cricket.

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India stunned England with a dominant 336-run victory in the second Test of the ongoing series, marking their first-ever win at Edgbaston. Led by the young Shubman Gill, the visitors produced a commanding all-round performance, with Gill’s century and Akash Deep’s 10-wickets l headlining the match.

However, amidst the celebration, the flat and docile nature of the Edgbaston pitch has become a hot topic of discussion across the cricketing fraternity.

Pat Cummins' Sharp Comment on the Pitch

Australian captain Pat Cummins, fresh off his Test series against the West Indies, weighed in on the state of the Edgbaston surface. With nearly 1,700 runs scored across five days, bowlers from both sides toiled without much assistance from the pitch.

Cummins didn’t hold back, humorously asking, "I wasn't. Probably Marnus was. We'll keep an eye on that series. Who would want to be a bowler over there? Not surprised by the fact that it was the third flattest wicket over there in the history of England cricket."

Cummins’ remark points to the growing disparity in pitch behavior across venues, which often favors batters in some regions while offering bowlers significant help in others. His comment has sparked a larger debate on how pitch preparation can influence the balance and competitiveness of red-ball cricket.

Cummins then went on to state that the pitch at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada (where Australia faced West Indies) is completely different from that of Edgbaston.

"Look, Test cricket over here as compared to Test cricket over there, looks like two different sports. Looks like it is going to be a good series over there. 1-1. Didn't watch a lot of it but saw the scores," said Cummins.

The Pitch Debate Reignites

The Birmingham pitch, which allowed free scoring from Day 1 to Day 5, has faced criticism for negating the role of bowlers. While India ultimately managed to dismiss England twice thanks to some inspired bowling from Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, the high-scoring nature of the game left many questioning the pitch’s integrity.