Ben Stokes says sloppy start led to heavy England defeat by India at Edgbaston

England captain Ben Stokes said the first innings was the key to his side’s heavy defeat to India in the second Test.

Stokes, who put the tourists into bat on day one after winning the toss, saw England crumble to a mammoth 336-run loss at Edgbaston on Sunday as India squared the series at 1-1.

England were in the game on day one but lost control and were bowled out for 271 on the final day.

Stokes said on Sky Sports: “It’s a tough one. I think two moments, having them 200 for five in the first innings we were really happy with, but then just not being able to burst them open after a really good start on the ball.

“Obviously being 80 for five in our reply to India’s big first innings there, it was obviously going to be tough to be able to scrape it back from there.

“Having a team 200 for five, you feel like you’re in a really strong position. But as the game got deeper and deeper, it sort of turned into a wicket that we probably didn’t think how it would play.

“It probably suited India more than than us, to be honest, as the game went on.”

Only Jamie Smith put up any resistence in England’s second innings, scoring 88, which left him 12 short of hitting double centuries in the match following his 184 not out in the first innings.

Stokes said of the wicketkeeper: “Jamie’s been incredible since he’s been in the team.

“Obviously he’s been exceptional with the gloves. He goes under the radar with his wicket-keeping, which is, I think, what you want in the wicketkeeper.

“It just shows that he went out there and stuck to his guns and played his natural game. And the way that him and Harry (Brook) were able to wrestle the momentum back towards us, although it wasn’t enough in the end, I thought it was very, very special part of the match.”

India captain Shubman Gill was the man of the match, as he followed his mammoth 261 in the first innings with a 161 second time around.

Gill said: “I’d say I’m feeling comfortable. I’m definitely comfortable with my game and hopefully with my contribution.

“If we’re able to win the series, that would be a great achievement for us.

“I think the way we came back in our bowling and our building was tremendous to see on this kind of wicket.

“We knew if we get around 400 or 500 will be straight back into the game, not in all games we are going to drop that many chances (as they did at Headingley).