When play got underway in the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, it wasn’t the swinging ball or team selections that first caught everyone’s attention — it was the boundary ropes. Seasoned journalists in the press box and sharp-eyed fans in the stands immediately noticed the unusually short and oddly asymmetrical boundary cushions. For a ground as iconic as Edgbaston, the dimensions felt more appropriate for a T20, not a traditional five-day Test.
As it turns out, this wasn’t a quirky oversight by the ground staff. Reports suggest England skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had a direct say in bringing the boundaries well inside the usual perimeter. It’s a tactic not unfamiliar in English cricketing folklore — reminiscent of the 2005 Ashes when boundaries were similarly shortened to unsettle Australia’s legendary spinner Shane Warne.
One side of the ground, in particular, stood out — the long-off boundary in front of the scoreboard, so close it drew chuckles in the media centre. One reporter half-joked that the remaining space could host a junior game. The longest boundary was a mere 65 metres, with several down the ground measuring just over 60 — barely scraping past the ICC’s minimum allowed distance of 59.43 metres.
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The change raised eyebrows, especially since India had opted to play two spinners. The suspicion? England might have tailored the field dimensions to assist their aggressive ‘Bazball’ batting style — making six-hitting significantly easier, even on mishits.
For Indian fans, it was déjà vu. Back in the 2019 World Cup at this very venue, India faced England with one side of the boundary noticeably shorter. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were pummeled as England exploited the dimensions to their full advantage — a move that proved decisive.
Why are the boundaries at Edgbaston so short for this Test?@finnysteve has a Bazball-related explanation 🤔#ENGvIND #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/IdMr2vN0ln
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 2, 2025
Former England cricketer David Lloyd expressed his confusion over the boundary adjustments, speculating they might have been to accommodate advertising boards. Meanwhile, Steven Finn, speaking on BBC, offered a more strategic rationale. He linked the setup to England’s preference for chasing, suggesting the shortened boundaries suit their high-octane fourth-innings run-hunting.
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According to ICC guidelines, boundaries must not exceed 90 yards or fall below 59.43 meters from the pitch. Technically, Edgbaston complies. But given England’s recent chasing heroics — like the record 378-run pursuit against India in 2022 and the 371-run effort in Leeds — the adjustments feel less incidental and more calculated.
Whether this boundary manipulation is gamesmanship or a bending of the sport’s ethical lines is open to debate. But what’s undeniable is that it plays perfectly into England’s new-age Test blueprint. Within the rules? Certainly. In the spirit of the game? That remains a boundary of its own.
