Assistant coach Jeetan Patel insisted that England’s exhausted cricketers can pull off another miracle and win at Edgbaston despite India’s utterly dominant position after two days.

After a Shubman Gill “masterclass” drove India to 587, England lost their top three in the first eight overs despite India resting their talismanic fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Under captain Ben Stokes, England have form for turning around desperate positions – they have won all three previous Tests in which they have conceded 500 or more – but this one requires a turnaround of epic proportions. Nevertheless, Patel was typically bullish.

“100 per cent,” said Patel when asked if England could still win the Test. “I’ve said this many a time in front of all of you and you keep laughing at me! We will go back in there and have a quick chat about how the day has gone, and what we might look forward to tomorrow. It’s about getting some rest in some guys, some shut eye, and coming back fresh tomorrow.

“We will find another way of trying to get over the line. That’s the beauty of the team we have, the players we have and the belief they have. There are three days of cricket left, lots of cricket to go and on a fast scoring ground you never know what can happen. We have two of the greatest batters in the world at the crease now, hopefully they get back in tomorrow and nestle in and cash in on what could be a good day’s cricket.”

Patel admitted that England had “tired minds and tired bodies” after 151 overs in the field took their tally across three innings in the series to an epic 370 overs. Brydon Carse spent time off the field with sore feet, and Stokes and Chris Woakes bowled just four overs apiece on the second day. Patel added that England may have to freshen up their attack with the fit-again Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson for next Thursday’s Lord’s Test.

“It’s been a pretty tough day,” he said. “150 overs in the dirt in any scenario is pretty tough. The guys threw everything at them and are very tired after their efforts. To take 10 wickets on that [pitch] has been fantastic. Everyone is alright. You put in that much effort, it’s not just physical but mental as well.

“That’s the beauty of having a battery of seamers. We have some guys coming back into the squad. Jofra has bowled rockets at lunch again and Gus may be back at full fitness and then you can start to rotate. That’s how big series are won, not any individual or one bowling attack, it’s a team effort.”

Analysis: Patel often has the last laugh

As the Bazballers seek a more mature image, England have looked to dial down the grandiose press-conference statements that the Australian commentator Jim Maxwell called “Bazb------s”. Even Ben Duckett is biting his tongue these days.

Normally assistant coaches only find themselves speaking to the media when the team are in a poor position in the game. And they cannot appear to doubt their players. Due to this, speaking “fluent Baz”, the spin-bowling specialist Jeetan Patel has been among England’s best blue-sky talkers. He has form for predicting that his charges can pull off the impossible. And, in fairness, he has often had the last laugh.

In Hyderabad last year, England’s position looked awful after two days, and Patel was wheeled out to defend them. A couple of days later, Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley had orchestrated an extraordinary heist. On a flat pitch in Multan later in 2024, Patel was confident England could win, and they did.

Could they do the same again? Surely not. But if Patel says so, you never know…