Nasser Hussain believes Stokes is under ‘bit of pressure’ due to Gill getting ‘shedload’ of runs

NEW DELHI: Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels Test captain Ben Stokes is under “bit of pressure” considering that the bulk of run-scoring has been done by his counterpart Shubman Gill in the first two Tests of the five-match series. The third Test will begin at Lord’s on Thursday.

India’s youngest Test captain, Gill, has ignited his overseas tally with captivating performances, from Leeds to Birmingham. He began the tour with a composed 147(227) and then broke the shackles with a memorable 269 (387 balls) at Edgbaston in the first innings. He topped it up in his second turn at the venue with a swift 161(162) as India stood triumphant for the first time in Birmingham with a 336-run victory.

Gill sits at the top of the run charts in the series with 585 runs in two Tests, four innings at an average of 146.25 and an attacking strike rate of over 73, with three centuries and a marathon 269 at Edgbaston as his best score. In contrast, England skipper Stokes has had an influence on the game with the ball but has stayed silent with the bat, with 33 being his highest score in the series.

“Stokes’ tiredness comes not only with the on-field but the off-field. That is the thing with leadership of a Test side that you should never underestimate. That is why Shubman Gill, with all the questions about Bumrah for Edgbaston, everything would have ended up at his door. For him to go out and bat the way he did in that Test match was excellent,” Hussain said, according to Sky Sports.

“Now Stokes has to do all that thinking and has to get some runs, let’s be honest. The opposition captain is getting a shedload of runs, and Stokes’ run-getting has fallen away. So, he is under a bit of pressure,” he added.

England’s inexperienced bowling set-up could find some solace with the potential return of tearaway Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. Archer hasn’t played Test cricket in more than four years, but recently made a red-ball return at first-class level for Sussex before joining up with the England squad for the second Test against India in Birmingham.

Meanwhile, Atkinson returned to the England Test set-up for the third Test after sustaining a right hamstring injury in their victory over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May. Hussain is concerned about the lack of game time that the duo boasts before the crucial fixture.

“England have got to come in with either tired bowlers or, if they leave their tired bowlers out, they have got to come in with two bowlers who haven’t played recently in Gus Atkinson or haven’t played a Test match in four years in Jofra Archer,” he said. (ANI)