Shubman Gill's India has thrown Ben Stokes into 'sternest challenge' as England captain, 'massive test' warning fired

Ben Stokes' England faced a massive defeat to India in the second Test, and will return to the field on Thursday for the crucial game at Lord's.

There’s no time for England to lick their wounds. Three days after being outplayed in devastating fashion at Edgbaston, they must reset for Lord’s, and former captain Michael Atherton believes no moment in Ben Stokes’ leadership has been as crucial as this. On Sunday last week, India defeated England by a mammoth 336 runs, bowling the side out for 271 in 608-run chase. Despite rain delaying over an hour's play at the start of Day 5, Indian bowlers produced a brilliant performance to bowl the English team out.

England's captain Ben Stokes (R) shakes hands with India's captain Shubman Gill (L) after Gill loses his wicket for 161 (AFP)

“In the three years that Ben Stokes has captained England, it is hard to think that he has faced a sterner challenge than over the next two days, as he contemplates how to lift his players for the third Test at Lord’s,” Atherton wrote in The Times.

“It will be a massive test of his leadership, and his own mental and physical resilience.”

Stokes and England were dismantled by a ruthless Indian side in all departments, trailing the five-match series 1-1. Questions about decision-making have come to the fore, none more glaring than the choice to bowl first, a move Brendon McCullum later admitted was an error.

Atherton pointed to Stokes’ own post-match comments after the Leeds Test, when the captain had taken three days of silence for mental recovery. This time, Atherton argued, those same three days must be used to rally his bruised team.

“It is not hard to imagine, then, how he must be feeling now,” Atherton noted. “The three days that Stokes used to shut himself off from the world after Leeds for his own benefit are essentially the days he must use now to rally his players.”

Stokes' workload

The difference in workload isn’t massive on paper, but Atherton highlighted how fatigue compounds in defeat. “He spent 25 overs longer in the field; he bowled nine overs fewer and batted 16 minutes less. Defeat, of course, exacerbates matters. If he was feeling knackered after a win at Leeds and with a seven-day break, how must he have been feeling on Monday morning with the Lord’s Test three days away?”

Atherton also recommended changes for the third Test. “I’d keep faith with the batting and freshen up the seam attack, bringing in [Jofra] Archer and [Gus] Atkinson for Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse.”