Stokes critized for "subcontinent pitch" remark by former England Test captain

England were ruthlessly annihilated by India at their Edgbaston fortress in the second Test. Apart from the heroic brilliance from Jamie Smith and Harry Brook in the first innings, the English team was all at sea. Their bowlers failed to get past the grit and resilience of the Indian batters, most notably Shubman Gill, who acted as a thorn in their side. 

The home side's colossal defeat did not sit too well with the former England Test cricketers. The English captain Ben Stokes has come under immense fire for his bizarre "subcontinent pitch" remark. Speaking after the conclusion of the second Test, Stokes tried to draw a comparison between the Edgbaston pitch and a typical subcontinent surface in an effort to convey to the viewers that it was the sluggishness of the deck that ultimately contributed to their downfall. 

Former England Test captain Michael Vaughan simply did not agree with Stokes' viewpoint and instead blasted him for issuing this remark. Vaughan further pointed out that the Edgbaston pitch has traditionally been on the slower side, and this was a fact the England captain should have known long before. 

See also: England will be happy if Jasprit Bumrah is playing three Test matches: Ian Bell

Vaughan counters Stokes' "Indian subcontinent" remark

During a conversation on his YouTube channel "Stick to Cricket', Vaughan mocked Stokes' assessment of the Edgbaston pitch. The cricketer turned commentator argued whether the Edgbaston pitch had ever been on the quicker side. He further stressed that the pitch does offer a little bit of swing in helpful conditions, but for the most part, the pitch tends to be on the slower side. 

"They thought it played more like a subcontinent-style wicket. Can you name me a pitch at Edgbaston that has had pace and bounce in it? So, I don't get when they say it was subcontinent style. Edgbaston, it might swing if the conditions come in, but it's always been slow."

Vaughan was joined by legendary English cricket commentator David Lloyd in his talk show. "Bumble" added a touch of humour by sharing a hilarious piece of advice to Ben Stokes. Llyod joked about giving a few overs to Ben Duckett in the second innings as he felt that the Indian batters may have been troubled by the lack of bounce. 

"In this last Test match, I said, put Duckett on. They will never hit him, will they? No bounce, it'd go under the bat, it'd go underneath."

An extraordinary contest ensued at Edgbaston with both teams piling well over 1600 runs across four Test innings. The bat dominated the ball for the most part as both teams recorded their highest-ever combined score (1692) in Test cricket.