Rohan Chowdhury in Birmingham
After a final-day defeat in the first Test at Headingley, India bounced back in dominant fashion at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground. The 336-run victory on Sunday marked a historic moment, as it was India’s first-ever Test win in Birmingham. Shubman Gill and his team set the tone heading into the next clash, which begins on Thursday, July 10, at the iconic Lord’s, with the series now level at 1-1.
Talking about the fans and the mood at the stadium, Birmingham stepped up, filling the stands on all five days of the Test. It was expected that the support for the Indian team would be stronger at Edgbaston than at Headingley, owing to the large Indian diaspora in Birmingham. However, the English fans—especially the Barmy Army—made their presence felt over the first four days. The English summer and the Headingley win were the perfect catalyst for the Edgbaston atmosphere.
The Eric Hollies Stand, the den of the Barmy Army, kept their chants and trumpets going throughout. “We are the Army, the Barmy Army…” or the basic “Barmy Army, Barmy Army” refrains never stopped. The Harry Brook anthem—“Harry, Harry Brook”—to the tune of Boney M’s Daddy Cool truly set the vibe, even in the press box.
People came dressed as Scooby Doo, Teletubbies, and even alcohol bottles—gin, beer, whisky, wine, and one what appeared to be scotch. One of them explained, “We just love to drink and we’re dressed the way we represent ourselves.” And yes, the British can drink—the queues at the Pimm’s and beer stalls were long all day.
However, the frenzy from the English crowd seemed to fade on Day 5, as the Indian fans took over. Despite the match starting an hour late due to rain, the stands were eventually packed. The number of Tricolours in the crowd was at its peak. India’s fan group, the Bharat Army, took control with dhols and Bollywood-tuned trumpets. Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai—the vibe turned fully desi as India’s players continued to dominate on the pitch.
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A group of Indian fans wearing Kohli-18 jerseys, after the match was over, said, “We miss you Kohli. Well done Gill. We really enjoyed the historic moment.” Just the kind of message you want—uplifting, rising above the usual toxicity.
As the Indian team prepared to leave the ground, hundreds of fans waited at the stadium gate for a glimpse of their heroes. They stood for more than an hour for just a five-second sighting as the players walked from the gate to the team bus. Skipper Shubman Gill and Akash Deep—who claimed ten wickets in the match—received the loudest cheers, with many fans hoping for autographs. They had travelled from across England—some from London, some from Reading—and for them, it was all worth the effort and money.
Despite not getting the selfies or autographs they had hoped for, there were no complaints. Fans simply wanted to soak in the moment and cheer the loudest—“Jai Hind”, “Ganapati Bappa Morya”, “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, and of course, the iconic “Indiaaaa Indiaaa”. There were special chants for Jasprit Bumrah — “Boom Boom”, screamed the crowd as the Indian pacer walked towards the bus waving at the crowd.
As the series shifts to London—a city with an even larger Indian fan base—and with Bumrah set to return, the anticipation is high. Come Thursday, July 10, the spectacle at the Home of Cricket promises to be even bigger.
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