Ben Stokes has had an absolute stinker ...Middle East

2nd Test, Day 2: England 77-3 (Brook 30* | Deep 2-36) trail India 587 (Gill 269, Jadeja 89 | Bashir 3-167) by 510 runs with 7 wickets remaining

EDGBASTON — The Bazball doctrine of “we don’t do draws” will be given its biggest stress test yet after England ended the second day at Edgbaston so far behind the game that a three-day defeat cannot be ruled out.

That would have to see a defence-minded India enforce the follow-on at some point on day three of this second Test, something eminently possible given the hosts reached stumps a mammoth 510 runs behind on 77 for 3.

Even if they don’t, it can now safely be said that England captain Ben Stokes’s decision to bowl first on one of the flattest pitches seen in this country in the past decade was an absolute stinker.

Nasser Hussain is always remembered for inserting Australia at the start of the 2002-2003 Ashes in Brisbane.

India have their THIRD wicket Mohammed Siraj picks up the wicket of Zak Crawley, England are in BIG trouble pic.twitter.com/qEpmGBVcjx

Back then, though, England’s opponents only scored 492 in their first innings.

Stokes was ultimately vindicated for doing the same in the opening match of this series at Headingley last week after his team chased down 371 to seal a remarkable win.

But the call to follow that plan in this match has backfired spectacularly, Stokes’ confidence now looking more like hubris after India posted 587 across 151 overs on the back of a sparkling 269 from captain Shubman Gill.

Only one team in Test history has ever lost after scoring more in their first innings, Bangladesh against New Zealand at Wellington in 2017 after they posted 595 for eight declared.

Tim Southee, England’s bowling coach this summer, played in that match at the Basin Reserve eight years ago.

And Southee, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum will no doubt still have the utmost belief this England team can still win from this seemingly hopeless position.

Back in 2017, the Black Caps won the game after shooting out Bangladesh for 160 in their second innings.

square CRICKET

England's Bashir claims prize India wicket to vindicate Stokes' faith

England will have to do something similar here to have any hope of forcing a positive result.

Yet they will need plenty more runs on the board before they can think of that.

Losing their top three to the new ball on the second evening has also taken even more time out of this game given it forced Harry Brook and Joe Root to consolidate and play the percentages.

However, this is a pair who did put on an England-record partnership of 454 against Pakistan back in Multan in October during an innings that saw the Bazballers post 823 for 7 declared in 150 overs.

Pakistan posted 556 batting first back then, with England eventually winning by an innings.

The template is there and having entered this first innings in a state of exhaustion late on day two, England’s batters should be far better placed to take advantage of this lifeless Edgbaston surface whose sole aim seems to be ensuring there is play this weekend despite this Test’s Wednesday start.

India’s bowlers might argue there was plenty in it for them on this second evening as they felled Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley.

Their opinion might change significantly once they have bowled a few more than 20 overs with it.

After all, England had the ball talking early on the first day of this match and could have had India 30-odd for 3 as well had Chris Woakes had a couple of lbw decisions go his way rather than seeing them denied by umpire’s call.

For those looking for positive signs, this match is being played on the same Edgbaston strip that the Bazballers chased down 378 against India on here in 2022.

But the tourists, wary of setting England anything to chase after that experience and the one at Headingley last week, are unlikely to play ball in terms of a positive second-innings declaration.

Having rested Jasprit Bumrah for this match, they will be happy to leave Birmingham with a draw.

The odds, though, seem stacked in their favour to level the series at 1-1 heading into next week’s third Test at Lord’s.

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