England's Ben Stokes Leads Series Against India at Old Trafford

England captain Ben Stokes has delivered a standout performance in the ongoing Test series against India, notably taking five wickets and scoring 77 runs in the third Test to help England take a 2-1 lead. Ahead of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Stokes chose to put India into bat, betting on favorable bowling conditions despite the historical disadvantage of teams winning the toss and bowling first at this ground. Stokes also issued a firm warning that England will respond in kind if India show aggression, emphasizing the tense and competitive nature of this closely fought series. England made one key change with the return of spinner Liam Dawson after eight years, replacing the injured Shoaib Bashir, while India introduced three changes including debutant Anshul Kamboj. Stokes acknowledged his ongoing struggles with injury but expressed readiness to push through pain and fatigue to secure a series victory, highlighting the high stakes and intensity of the contest. The series is being compared to the 2005 Ashes in terms of quality and competitiveness, with both teams going toe-to-toe across multiple five-day matches so far.