India’s hunt for a series comeback faces a tough test at Edgbaston, one of their most challenging venues in Test history. After the heartbreak at Headingley, where India let slip a dominant position despite five centuries and a fourth-innings target of 371, the team must now break a record that has haunted them for decades.Most Tests by India at a Venue (Without Winning a match) 9 – Old Trafford, Manchester 9 – Kensington Oval, Barbados 8 – Edgbaston, Birmingham 7 – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 6 – Bourda, Guyana 6 – National Stadium, Karachi Edgbaston in Birmingham remains one of India’s longest-standing winless venues. They have played seven Tests here and never won. The second Test of this series will be their eighth at this ground. Only Old Trafford in Manchester and Kensington Oval in Barbados have seen more Indian Tests without a win, with nine matches each. Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore has seen seven, while Bourda in Guyana and the National Stadium in Karachi have six.
At Headingley, India controlled large parts of the match but were undone by England’s fearless chase. Ben Duckett’s 149 and Joe Root’s calm finishing touch handed India a defeat that will sting for a long time. The loss has left India 1-0 down in the series with the pressure firmly on.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Another defeat at Edgbaston will seal the series for England and add another chapter to India’s poor record at this venue. History suggests it will not be easy. The pitch, the conditions and England’s belief all stand in India’s way. A win here will break a jinx that has stood since 1967. This team must find something extra to rewrite Edgbaston’s story at last.
