Difference of ?? (null-coalescing) operator in C# and If operator in VB

TestMethod.cs

public void TestMethod(IEnumerable<string> names)
{
  List<string> nameList = names as List<string> ?? names.ToList(); //OK
  int nameCount = (names as List<string> ?? names.ToList()).Count; //OK

  //Case 1
  nameList.ForEach(x => Console.WriteLine(x)); //OK

  //Case 2
  (names as List<string> ?? names.ToList()).ForEach(x => Console.WriteLine(x)); //OK
}

TestMethod.vb

Public Sub TestMethod(names As IEnumerable(Of String))
  Dim nameList As List(Of String) = If(TryCast(names, List(Of String)), names.ToList()) 'OK
  Dim nameCount As Integer = If(TryCast(names, List(Of String)), names.ToList()).Count 'OK

  'Case 1
  nameList.ForEach(Sub(x) Console.WriteLine(x)) 'OK

  'Case 2 a
  If(TryCast(names, List(Of String)), names.ToList()).ForEach(Sub(x) Console.WriteLine(x)) 'Syntax Error
  
  'Case 2 b
  (If(TryCast(names, List(Of String)), names.ToList())).ForEach(Sub(x) Console.WriteLine(x)) 'Syntax Error
End Sub