India tour of England 2025: A unique low for the out-of-form Ben Stokes in Headingley

When Ben Stokes took over England's Test captaincy in 2022, it was at a time when the all-rounder was in prime form. Offering solidity with the bat, particularly under pressure and picking crucial wickets with the ball when the rest faltered. Fast forward to 2025, and his batting returns seem to be on the way down even as his bowling manages to hold its own.

 

On the third morning of the Edgbaston Test against India, Stokes walked to the middle after England had lost their talisman in Joe Root to a soft dismissal down the leg-side. At 84/4 with England still 503 behind, the situation called for a Stokes rearguard. However, one ball is all he lasted as the left-hander got a sharp rising delivery from Mohammed Siraj that found a thin edge through to Rishabh Pant. For the first time in his Test career, Stokes had been dismissed for a golden duck. While he doesn't generally fall for a duck that often, Stokes' batting form has been on the downward spiral for a while now.

 

Since the start of 2024, Stokes has batted 27 times in Test cricket, tallying just 664 runs at a disappointing average of 26.56 - mediocre numbers for someone who has primarily played as a specialist batter in this phase due to injuries limiting his bowling skills. The England captain has only gotten past fifty on five occasions in 2024-25, with only one such knock in his last 12 innings.

 

More than the lack of runs, it's the manner of Stokes' dismissals that are worrying. Once known for his clarity in shot selection and methods, England's captain these days struggles to find a tempo to his innings. His golden duck at Edgbaston can be forgiven, considering that it was a very good delivery from Siraj but most of his other recent dismissals have shown Stokes in poor light.

 

As captain, Stokes' results have been effective with England winning four of their last five Test series. However, their performances against the stronger teams like India and Australia haven't been great. The tour of India was a forgettable one as they lost 1-4 while the home Ashes was drawn 2-2, allowing the Aussies to return the urn.

 

The Bazball methodology seems to be doing reasonably well otherwise, giving England overseas Test series wins in Pakistan and New Zealand recently. The bigger test, however, will be the ongoing home series against India and later, the much tougher Ashes campaign in Australia. For England to be steady, they'd need their captain in full flow and Stokes would hope that he can regain his form through the course of the India series.

 

If not, it will not only hamper his leadership but also deprive England of one of their most critical Test batters.

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