ENG vs IND 2025: Brendon McCullum reveals pitch preferences ahead of 3rd Test at Lord’s

Ben Stokes expressed his disappointment about the Edgbaston surface, where they suffered a massive loss against India. The surface was flat and became a paradise for the batters. In Stokes' words, 'like a subcontinent wicket.'

The third of the five-match Test series is set to be held at the iconic Lord's, where the nature of the track can be different from Birmingham's. England head coach Brendon McCullum hinted about the possible nature of the yard by saying, "Something with a bit more pace, a bit more bounce, and maybe a little bit of sideways, hopefully."

Despite the multiple injury crisis, Team England still has multiple world-class seamers who can be dangerous on a deck where a red duke ball finds more elements to disturb a batsman. England's pace line-up with experienced Chris Woakes, promising Josh Tongue, and Brydon Carse did very little to upset the composure of Team India. India batters, especially the newly appointed captain Shubman Gill, piled run after run with fun. As the series is now level at 1-1, the home team can look for refreshments in their tactics and probably in their playing combination too.

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Jofra Archer to play the 3rd Test?

England's coach further hinted that they can make at least one change for the 3rd Test, which will start on July 10. McCullum is hopeful about the fitness of Jofra Archer, one of the most talented and lethal pacers the nation has produced in recent times.

"He’s ready to go. It’s hugely exciting; he’s buzzing as well. He’s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket, but we all know what he’s capable of achieving, and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he's able to recapture and improve on what he's been able to do already," the head coach of England said this about Archer.