England assistant coach reveals game plan to save second Test against India

BIRMINGHAM: England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick on Saturday said his team is not naive enough to believe that Test cricket is only about winning or losing, suggesting that a draw would be a satisfactory outcome as they head into the final day of the Edgbaston Test against India.

Speaking to press conference after the fourth day of play, Trescothick hinted that the team might have to adapt and recalibrate their strategy on Day five.

"Whenever the situation changes, of course a draw becomes a good result. We're not stupid enough to think you only play to win or lose. There are three possible results in every game. But yes, we’ve done some things differently in the past under this leadership," Trescothick said.

He also challenged the perception that England’s Test team had entirely written off the idea of a draw.

“We all appreciate that it’s a hell of a lot of runs to score—over 500 on the last day. We probably have another 10 to 15 overs before the ball softens and then we’ll see how things go from there,” he said. 

“It's up to individuals to adapt to the situation. Our dressing room has its own identity, and while we’ve played boldly, we understand the realities too.”

Trescothick insisted that the team does not believe in adopting a defensive mentality.

“I don't think we use that kind of language. Do you just go into your bunker and dig it out? Some players may, but we leave that to individuals. We trust them to read the game and adjust,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, England require a monumental 536 more runs with seven wickets in hand on a surface that has largely remained good for batting.