The stage is set, and both the powerhouses of cricket are on the field to dominate at the iconic Lord’s stadium. England captain Ben Stokes won his third consecutive toss at the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. After winning the toss, the English skipper made an unexpected move by opting to bat first and inviting the visitors with the ball. This was only the second time he opted to bat after being chosen for the role of full-time captain since 2022 at home. The first instance came in 2023 at Edgbaston during the Ashes series, which England plays against Australia, and which ended in England’s defeat by 2 wickets. This could be possible again today if India exploits England’s weaknesses.
🚨 TOSS NEWS AT LORD’S 🚨
Ben Stokes has won the toss and we will BAT first at @HomeOfCricket 🏴#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ClSI6RXvbQ---Advertisement---— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 10, 2025
Also Read: IND Vs ENG 3rd Test Live Score And Updates: England Won The Toss, Chose To Bat
England In Tests Under Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes, who attained the full-time Test captaincy role for England in 2022, had been in the captaincy picture since 2020, taking part-time responsibilities of leading the team. Since 2020, the star all-rounder has led the team in 36 Test matches. He has won 21 Tests and has faced defeat in 13 matches and just one draw. His win percentage as captain is 58.33% while the loss percentage is 36.11%. During the 2025 Test series against Indian, Stokes opted to bowl first in both the matches at Leeds and Edgbaston, where he claimed victory at the former venue while facing defeat at the latter.
Ashes 2023 Edgbaston
The Edgbaston Test was the first Test match of the Ashes 2023, where England were defeated by 2 wickets. While Joe Root smashed a stunning century in the first innings, the batter missed a potential half-century while departing for just 46 runs in the second innings. Skipper Stokes, who could not create an impact with the bat in the first innings by departing for just 1 run, gave a good hand with the bat in the second innings, slamming 43 runs. Aussie opener, Usman Khawaja, was awarded as player of the match for his 141 and 65 in the first and second innings, respectively.
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