Ben Stokes’ innings on day three of the ongoing Edgbaston Test was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The English captain was quick to take charge against the Indian pace attack, stroking three boundaries in a knock of 25 runs off just 36 deliveries. However, in a crucial juncture of the game, Stokes failed to adapt his batting to the situation. The middle-order batsman was dropped two times by the opposition. The latest reprieve came when Jasprit Bumrah dropped a sitter at mid-off, only for Stokes to offer another catch to the Indian skipper the very next delivery.

"I would tell Ben that he doesn't need to try and prove a point by being ultra-aggressive. The bowler needs to be bowling his best deliveries in order to get Stokes out. At the moment, I see Stokes trying to command authority by running at bowlers. He doesn't need to do that when England are in strife. I would tell him to stand still and do what Bairstow is doing. He is too good a player to be doing what he is doing," he said.

Recently ascended to the role of a Test captain, Ben Stokes has been vocal about his intent to play aggressive cricket. Along with newly anointed head coach Brendon McCullum, he steered his side to an emphatic 3-0 victory against New Zealand using the same philosophy. A key component of the wins was Jonny Bairstow, who showed up yet again against India with a crucial century. Even though he scored with a strike rate of 75, the wicketkeeper batter was very calculated in his approach, earning praise from Kevin Pietersen.