![Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill [Source: AP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1752135881736_Stokes_Gill.jpg?type=mq)
Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill [Source: AP]
You don't lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.
When Ollie Pope made a slow walk back to the dugout and Ben Stokes entered the Edgbaston, he carried along the hope of thousands who had shrugged off the inclement weather to witness his masterclass. With a win seeming like an unrealistic dream, the English skipper had only one task at hand: to bat out the remaining sessions and ensure a hard-fought draw, much to the crowd's delight.
However, India's zeal for defying odds eventually overpowered the Headingley Hero, forcing him to depart and leaving England in disarray. This was a result that the entire England didn't want, but wasn't unaware of either.
The fact that it has been two years since Ben Stokes scored his last Test century must have been well known among the English cricket community, suggesting that miracles like Headingley 2019 have become significantly harder to pull off for the 34-year-old veteran.
Ben Stokes' Worrisome Form: An Elephant In The Room For England
Ben Stokes was truly one of England's most valuable assets at the nascent stage of Bazball. The much-talked-about approach saw Stokes dominate the batting charts in the period between Brendon McCullum's appointment as England's Test coach and the end of 2023, racking up 1056 runs at an average of 39.11.
However, since the start of January 2024, Stokes' career graph has steadily gone downhill, with the batter managing just 697 runs across 16 Test matches. More importantly, England have lost nine while winning eleven of 20 Tests in this time frame.
Interestingly, the returns of Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett remain almost unaltered across both phases of the Bazball period. So, with Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope maintaining decent averages, the decline of Stokes seems directly proportional to England's overall performance in Test cricket.
Great Leaders Take Ownership; They Don't Beat Around The Bush
While reflecting on England's defeat at Edgbaston, Ben Stokes did not once introspect on his own form, which is actually one of the root causes of the team's dismal performance. Instead, he highlighted how India benefited from a pitch that apparently became subcontinent-like, conveniently ignoring his bizarre call to bowl on a placid surface after the toss on day 1.
With his dwindling form sticking out like a sore thumb and results not going England's way, it's high time Stokes starts self-evaluation rather than addressing non-existent issues. Leadership is a non-negotiable factor in Test cricket, and not batting an eye at one's own mistakes is certainly not among the traits of a great leader.
Shubman Gill: An Opponent That Can Be Considered As A Role Model
On one side, we have Stokes, who has done barely anything in the last one and a half years. On the other hand, there's Shubman Gill, who is leading a young Indian side by example on the English shores.
The third Test is about to get underway, and the young lad from Punjab hasn't let India miss the talismanic duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as of yet.
With due respect to their reliable supporting cast of Jaiswal and KL Rahul, India have reaped the rewards primarily riding on Gill's form, with the batter piling up 585 runs at an average of 146.25.
Gill's batting exploits have helped him guide his troops with authority, as each Indian player looks up to him as an eidolon, the one who inspires them to give it their all.
Their captain has shown them the way, and this is precisely why India have gone toe-to-toe with a formidable English side in their backyard.
It's Always Better Late Than Never
If we think about the larger picture from England's perspective, the renaissance of Ben Stokes is a must. His persistent lean patch emerges as chink in England's armour at a time when they are hell-bent to make the rest of the world believe the impact of Bazball in transforming cricket.
Therefore, as the face of England's new-age result-oriented approach, the English skipper must learn the art of walking the talk before Bazball gets formally reduced to a modern adaptation of aggression and ruthlessness, two ever-existing factors since cricket's inception.
