England Can Learn From 'Exceptional' India After Lord's Test Defeat: Edwards

One-off Test: England can learn a lot from 'exceptional' India, says Charlotte Edwards

London, July 13

England were always left playing catch-up once India made 280 in their first innings, with their batting returns being woefully inadequate to counter a strong visitors' bowling line-up. Subsequently, England were bowled out for 170 and 186 in both innings, as India clinched a memorable win.

"I'm disappointed all round, really. You come into such a historic Test match and occasion, which has been absolutely amazing... to then not play anywhere near our best over the four days.

"A lot of credit has to go to India. I thought they were exceptional. They were really disciplined with bat and ball. There's a lot we can learn from that Indian team about how they went about things over the four days," Edwards said at the conclusion of the game.

Identifying the exact turning points where England faltered, Charlotte pointed to brief periods of vulnerability that proved costly in a format where margins are razor-thin. "We had a bad hour and a half with the ball on the first day, which cost us a few runs. Other than that, I thought we were really good and would have taken our position on day one.

"We then had a bad hour and a half with the bat (on Day 2). And there are such small margins in this format. The players haven't got the experience of it, so it's really difficult to know that you've got to be on it every single ball - that's something we've learnt. And our batting was really disappointing in this Test match. Gaud bowled really well, but we have to be better in our defence to counteract that," she observed.

Looking forward, Charlotte promised comprehensive preparation for the upcoming multi-day challenges, specifically focusing on upskilling the younger crop of players for the blockbuster Ashes Test next year.

"This is a format that our players aren't exposed to - and that's something we will need to upskill them in. That's my job over the next 12 months, ahead of a massive Ashes Test match that we have to be ready for and better prepared for. The focus for this summer was the T20 World Cup - and it had to be.

"So I don't want this to overshadow the great progress this team has made, but equally, it has highlighted to me that we have to improve in other areas. That's exciting. That's the job, and I'll be plotting that for the next 12 months," she promised.

The match also served as an emotional farewell to English cricket stalwarts Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight, both of whom have now retired from international cricket. "It's quite emotional. Tammy told us two days before the Test match, and then to get the news from Heather on the second evening. I think I'm not surprised, but it's still a shock when they say that news.

"Two amazing servants to English women's cricket, two amazing batters, and one amazing leader in Heather. They're going to be sorely missed. But this is a massive opportunity for our younger players now to step into those roles. From a coaching point of view, that's exciting, though it's sad to see two players I played with and have now coached step away from the game," she concluded.

— IANS