Benjamin Stokes

In a wild morning session, India went from 338-7 to 416 all out, Ravindra Jadeja completing a century by moving from 83 to 104 before being bowled by James Anderson.

India scored a world-record 35 runs from one Stuart Broad over as captain Jasprit Bumrah took centre stage with the bat. Bumrah is better known for his work with the ball, and the skipper then reduced England to 44-3 when he sent back Alex Lees, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope.

After a two-hour rain break, the third such interruption of the innings, England lost former skipper Joe Root for 31, and nightwatchman Jack Leach followed, with Bairstow (12 not out) and captain Ben Stokes (0 no) together at the close. England were 84-5 at stumps, nowhere near where they hoped to be in the contest.

India are 2-1 ahead in this series, one that began last year but had to be curtailed before the fifth Test got under way due to COVID-19 concerns in the tourists' ranks. This long-delayed match is therefore decisive, with England needing a victory to force a drawn series.

Rather than go after the win, avoiding a heavy defeat could become the priority, but at this stage the hosts will still believe they can salvage this situation, given positivity is flowing through the team after the recent 3-0 rout of New Zealand.

Broad had a rotten morning, entering the record books in unwanted fashion when Bumrah set about his bowling. The previous Test record of 28 runs from an over was obliterated, aided by Broad bowling a high wide that raced to the boundary before being clubbed for six off a no-ball.

Bumrah finished on 31 not out when Broad held a catch off James Anderson (5-60) to remove Mohammed Siraj in the next over.

Three rain delays affected England's reply, but the batting was not up to scratch. The most damaging dismissal was surely that of Root to a snorter of a delivery that climbed rapidly into the batsman, drawing a thin edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Now Bairstow, whose past three Test scores have been 136, 162 and 71 not out, will aim to lead a recovery effort alongside the skipper.

Anderson at it again

It still defies belief that England's previous regime looked ready to discard Anderson. He might turn 40 later this month, but few seamers in world cricket can rival his skill, and India again found him so difficult to play. A 32nd five-wicket haul of his Test career was his sixth against India.

England have done it before, so can they do it again?

England hardly need to look far back in the history books for inspiration. In the third Test against New Zealand, they were 55-6 in their first innings but rallied to post 360 all out. The seventh-wicket stand of 241 runs between Bairstow and Jamie Overton saved the day that time, and something special is required again here.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) revealed three players and four members of the management team returned positive tests in Bristol on Monday and will observe a period of self-isolation.

Due to being deemed as close contacts, the remaining members of the ODI party must also isolate.

The selectors were forced to pick a new squad two days before the first match at Lord's, with Ben Stokes returning to captain the side and Chris Silverwood back from a break to replace Paul Collingwood as head coach.

Test duo Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence got the nod along with fellow batsmen Will Jacks, Phil Salt and all-rounder Lewis Gregory.

Brydon Carse, Tom Helm, John Simpson and David Payne could also make their ODI debuts.

Dawid Malan and James Vince, who was among the players pulled out of ongoing County Championship matches for unexpected England duty, were also named in the squad.

Incoming squad and support team members will follow PCR tests and bridging protocols to ensure safe entry to camp.

Managing director of England men's cricket, Ashley Giles, said: "It's a great opportunity to play on the biggest stage, and for most of the players selected it's not necessarily something they would have been expecting 24 hours ago.

"It's an exciting group of players, with some young talent and some players who have impressed at domestic level over a long period of time.

"We're in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and I'm very proud of how everyone has come together in order to get it done – both those within the ECB and from the county game.

"Ben hasn't captained our ODI side before so it's a huge honour for him. We all wish him well and it's a role I'm sure he'll thrive in.

"I'd like to also put on record the thanks of the ECB to the PCB for their support and understanding during this time."

England squad:

Ben Stokes (captain) Jake Ball, Danny Briggs, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Lewis Gregory, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, David Payne, Phil Salt, John Simpson, James Vince.

Broad and Anderson were omitted for the 1-0 series defeat against West Indies in the Caribbean following the 4-0 Ashes hammering in Australia.

But the experienced seam duo are in the first squad under new captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, with the opening match of the series against the Black Caps starting at Lord's on June 2.

Yorkshire batter Brook and Durham paceman Potts have been handed maiden call-ups after impressive starts to the County Championship seamer.

Brook, who made his T20 debut for England in the Caribbean earlier this year, has an incredible average of 151.60 in the County Championship this season, while Potts is the leading wicket-taker with 35 and claimed 7-40 in a win over Glamorgan last time out.

With former captain Joe Root batting at number four, Ollie Pope is set to come in at number three in the order.

"This is the start of a new era for our Test team under the stewardship of Ben and Brendon," managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key stated.

"With a blend of youth and experience, we have selected an exciting squad that can compete with New Zealand in next month's Test series.

"We have rewarded players in Harry Brook and Matty Potts who have had outstanding starts to the County season, and they deserve the opportunity to stake a claim at this level.

"It promises to be a mouthwatering series, and I can't wait for the team to start against a very good New Zealand side.

"It is a fascinating prospect for everyone connected with the sport in this country."

England Test Squad: Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook,, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Matty Potts, Ollie Pope, Joe Root.

All-rounder Stokes is not involved following the recent death of his father, Ged, while paceman Archer is given a break following a busy year.

Both players will return to Test duty in February against India, with England's squad planning to fly directly to Chennai from Colombo ahead of that four-match series.

Opening batsman Rory Burns is another absentee from the 16-man group travelling to Sri Lanka; he will remain at home for the birth of his first child.

As for those that do make the trip, Bairstow is involved again having not played in the longest format since the first Test of the series against South Africa in December 2019.

The right-handed batsman averages 34.74 in his Test career with six centuries, including scoring 110 against Sri Lanka in Colombo just over two years ago when batting at number three in the order.

There is a place for uncapped Essex batsman Dan Lawrence too, while Moeen Ali, Dom Bess and Jack Leach provide spin options in the party.

England depart on January 2 for Hambantota, where the squad will prepare for action. Both Tests are to be staged in Galle.

Ollie Pope - who is still recovering from shoulder surgery - will join the party to continue his rehab work ahead of the tour to India, while a seven-man group of reserves has been announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

England Test squad: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.

Batsman Bairstow, all-rounder Curran and paceman Wood have been rested and will fly home after the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka along with quick Craig Overton.

Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns are back in the squad for a series that starts at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 5.

Fast bowler Archer and all-rounder Stokes did not travel to Sri Lanka as they were given a break, while opening batsman Burns stayed at home for the birth of his first child.

Batsman Ollie Pope will fly out to India and be added to a 16-man squad when he has fully recovered from a shoulder operation.

The national selectors have also named six travelling reserves, three of which are spinners, for the series against an India side on a high from a dramatic 2-1 victory in Australia.

England squad for first two Tests against India: 

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

Reserves:

James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.

Williamson became New Zealand's all-time leading Test run scorer on his way to 132 as the Black Caps posted 483 in their second innings to set England a target of 258 for victory in the second Test.

The hosts potentially could have set England a target beyond 300 if not for spinner Jack Leach cleaning up the tail in quick time, finishing with 5-157, as New Zealand lost their final four wickets for five runs.

After Zak Crawley survived a Devon Conway run-out chance, Tim Southee removed the opener by jagging one back to take the top of off-stump as England reached stumps at 48-1 from 11 overs, with Ben Duckett (23 not out) and night watchman Ollie Robinson (1 not out) at the crease.

Victory is on the table for either side, with New Zealand roaring back into the contest as they look for a series-levelling win to preserve their record of not losing a home Test series since 2017.

The hosts resumed at 202-3, trailing by 24 runs, and lost Henry Nicholls for 29 to Ollie Robinson before they had got ahead of the ledger. Daryl Mitchell fell to Stuart Broad for a run-a-ball 54 before Williamson took charge alongside Tom Blundell in a 158-run stand which ensured the hosts a shot at victory.

The second session belonged to Williamson and Blundell who batted through, with the former skipper reaching triple figures before tea, while James Anderson dropped the latter.

Williamson eventually departed for 132 from 282 deliveries when Ben Stokes' hopeful review revealed he had tickled a leg-side delivery from Harry Brook, bowling at Test level for the first time, to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

Foakes' quick thinking led to Michael Bracewell's inexplicable run out before the Black Caps' tail fell meekly searching for fast runs, eager for a crack at England's top order late in the day's play.

Run-chase experts

England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests with fourth-inning run chases and are unlikely to be fazed by the target, despite history suggesting otherwise. The tourists started positively despite their awkward 11-over stay in the final session, erasing almost 20 per cent of the target already.

Black Caps in the game

On the flip side, New Zealand are in with a shot at a remarkable victory. Only three teams in Test history have previously won a game after being made to follow-on.

Yorkshire batter Brook played a key role as England secured a first Test series victory in Pakistan in 22 years after a nail-biting 26-run victory in Multan on Monday.

The 23-year-old managed only nine runs in the first innings but responded with 109 in the second – the only century of the second Test – to help England to an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

That form comes as no surprise given Brook blasted 153 and 87 in Rawalpindi, with his red-ball international average sitting at an impressive 73.8 from his five innings.

Yet Stokes believes this is only the start for Brook, who he expects to shine across all formats of cricket as he compared the England batter to India great Kohli.

"After the summer he had last year, getting all the big-ups before he made his debut, to come here and put in that kind of performance again was just phenomenal," Stokes told Sky Sports.

"He's one of those rare players that you look across all formats and you can just see him being successful everywhere.

"It's a massive shout, but Virat Kohli is one of those guys where his technique is just so simple and works everywhere. The pressure that he puts back onto opposition is exactly what we're about."

Brook accumulated just 56 runs, averaging just 11.2 across six innings, as England lifted their second T20 World Cup in Australia.

The middle-order batter has impressed in the shortest format for England in his 20 outings, though, with the expectation he will slot into Jos Buttler's side for the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India in 2023.

Stokes does not foresee the pressure impacting the form of Brook, given the comfortable manner in which he stepped into the Test side.

"The expectation on his shoulders coming into this team, because of how good he's been for Yorkshire, was obviously huge," he said.

"But I think that just shows that kind of stuff doesn't really affect him. He's a player whose technique is suited to all three formats, he wants to always look to be putting pressure back onto the opposition, and he's won another game for England.

"[He made a] huge contribution last week, and the hundred he scored here was obviously massive for us in getting that big lead.

"He's a pretty simple lad to captain: he just gets about his business, loves his batting, wants to constantly improve, constantly work on it. He's a pretty easy bloke to have in your dressing room."

Jonny Bairstow's injury offered Brook the chance to take the number-five role for Stokes, with the England Test captain acknowledging he is fortunate to have a wealth of batting talent to call upon.

"We're very, very lucky with the way in which we can replace Jonny, to have Harry coming in, because those two, batting No.5, they both go about it in exactly the same way," he added.

"They bring so much to the team and obviously Harry playing the way he has done at the moment with Jonny not being in the team, unfortunately, it's the best thing you want.

"You want competition for places, you want a strong squad to be able to pick from, and you want those headaches when it comes to the final XI every week, rather than saying 'I'm not sure who we're going to pick, let's pick a name out of the hat.'

"We're definitely not in that situation, and we feel like we've got all bases covered at the moment."

The 31-year-old called time on his 50-over international career in July as he cited an "unsustainable" workload alongside his Test captaincy commitments and T20 interests.

Stokes subsequently guided England to their second T20 World Cup title with a vital 52 not out to help Matthew Mott's side to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the November 13 final.

The star all-rounder will turn his attention to the first Test against Pakistan, which will start on either Thursday or Friday depending on England's fitness after a viral outbreak in the tourist's camp.

But Stokes, speaking on Wednesday, left the door open for a potential return to 50-over cricket – the format in which he powered England to Cricket World Cup glory in 2019.

"[Rob Key] pulled me to the side and as soon as he said '50-over World Cup' I just walked away," the England Test captain said.

"Who knows? At the moment, being out here, my focus is solely on this series.

"Going to a World Cup is an amazing thing to do, to represent your country. But at the moment I'm not even thinking about that."

Next year's schedule leaves the opportunity for Stokes to reverse his retirement decision, given a large portion of England's contests are loaded into the front half of 2023.

A two-Test tour of New Zealand in February follows after three red-ball outings against Pakistan before the start of the Indian Premier League, which Stokes has put himself forward for in the draft.

England then face Ireland in a four-day Test as a warm-up for The Ashes at home against Australia, which will be finished by the end of July, with four T20Is to follow against New Zealand.

Should Stokes have a change of heart on his decision, six ODIs split between the Black Caps and Ireland across September would serve as a perfect warm-up for October's Cricket World Cup in India.

Bairstow enjoyed run-laden Test outings against New Zealand and India but was rested for the three-match T20I series against Rohit Sharma's side, who defeated England 2-1.

The Yorkshire batter kept his spot in the ODI squad for the series against India, which is finely poised at 1-1 ahead of the decider at Old Trafford, and will now feature again in the shortest format against South Africa.

England Test captain Stokes is another in action against India, but he has been omitted from the T20I squad to face South Africa in an effort to manage his workload and will also miss domestic limited-overs competition The Hundred.

Adil Rashid is back in both white-ball squads after missing the India clashes due to undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, while Potts is part of England's 15-man 50-over squad for the first time.

Potts impressed with his bowling in the five-day outings against India and New Zealand, and he will join Durham team-mates Stokes and Brydon Carse for the ODI series, which starts at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday.

Reece Topley is another named in both squads after his 6-24 at Lord's on Thursday, taking England's record ODI bowling figures, and will hope to boost his hopes of featuring at the T20 World Cup in November.

Buttler's ODI side will head to Old Trafford and Headingley to conclude their three-match tussle against the Proteas, before the T20I series starts in Bristol on July 27.

Richard Gleeson is again included in the squad for the shortest format, having dismissed India trio Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant on his debut at Edgbaston.

Harry Brook is another who will look to stake his claim to take Eoin Morgan's spot in the T20I side's middle order, with the three-match T20I series heading to Cardiff on July 28 before concluding at the Ageas Bowl three days later.

England ODI squad: Buttler, Moeen Ali, Bairstow, Carse, Curran, Livingstone, Overton, Potts, Rashid, Root, Roy, Salt, Stokes, Topley, Willey.

England T20I squad: Buttler, Moeen Ali, Bairstow, Brook, Curran, Gleeson, Jordan, Livingstone, Malan, Rashid, Roy, Salt, Topley, Willey.

England's Sam Curran, the Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup, fetched a new record price when he was bought by Punjab Kings for 18.5 crore (£1.85million).

International team-mate Ben Stokes also brought in an impressive fee of 16.25 crore (£1.65m) from Chennai Super Kings, while Mumbai Indians landed Australia's Cameron Green for 17.5 crore (£1.75m).

Stats Perform runs through the standout deals of the day...

Sam Curran (Punjab Kings)

Having started his IPL career with Punjab in 2019, Curran is headed back after a stint with Chennai Super Kings and returns on the back of the best year of his career.

With 13 wickets at the T20 World Cup and huge batting potential, Curran is one of the most exciting purchases ahead of next year's tournament – as the price suggests.

Ben Stokes (Chennai Super Kings)

England's Test captain once again dug into his bag of tricks with a superb batting performance at the T20 World Cup to help his team beat Pakistan in the final.

Stokes heads to Chennai for a fee that matches the previous record set by Australia's Chris Morris last year, while his career IPL strike rate of 134.50 is indicative of a batsman who always goes big.

Cameron Green (Mumbai Indians)

The second-most expensive buy in the auction, it is little surprise Green commanded such an impressive figure given his huge 173.75 strike rate across eight T20I matches.

The Australia all-rounder was expected to figure near the top of the bidding, and he will hope to live up to his billing with Mumbai next year.

Kane Williamson (Gujarat Titans)

Williamson was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad, allowing him to enter the auction and be picked up at his base price of 2 crore.

Despite playing a role in Sunrisers' title success in 2016, that fee illustrates Williamson's diminishing returns since then, although Gujarat will hope this is a bargain deal.

Harry Brook (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

This has been a breakout year for Brook, who followed T20 World Cup glory with an impressive impact on the Test stage, dominating for England against Pakistan.

Back in the white-ball arena, Brook was briefly the most expensive specialist batsman in IPL history when signed for 13.25 crore (£1.325m).

Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants)

Brook's record was short-lived as Pooran went under the hammer and sparked a bidding war.

Lucknow came out on top, paying out 16 crore (£1.6m) for his services and acquiring one of the most fearsome white-ball players around.

Josh Little (Gujarat Titans)

Ireland bowler Little saw his stock rise following a T20 World Cup where he took a hat-trick against New Zealand and helped inspire a shock triumph over England.

Little will become the first Irishman to play in the IPL after fetching 4.4 crore (£440,000).

Joe Root (Rajasthan Royals)

At last, one of the defining batsmen of his generation is headed to the IPL, with the former England Test captain finally selected to play in the world's premier T20 domestic competition after going unsold back in 2018.

Root, who did not play at the T20 World Cup, looked set for the same fate again, but a late one crore (£100,000) base price bid in an accelerated auction will take him to India next year.

Ben Stokes put New Zealand in to bat after England had reached 325-9 by the 59th over of the first innings.

That gave James Anderson and the England attack the opportunity to get at their hosts under the lights at Bay Oval, their early inroads seeing the Black Caps reduced to 37-3 at stumps, still 288 runs behind.

England's run rate of 5.6 in the first innings was the fourth-highest by any team in a men's Test, but the plan was not always to take the ball by the end of play, according to Harry Brook.

"It just happened like that, to be honest. There was no plan at dinner to declare," Brook said in a news conference.

"Me and Foakesy [Ben Foakes] were still batting together, and if I hadn't got out, the plan would've been the same.

"But because I got out, the plan changed, and Stokesy said if there are two bowlers in at the same time, give them a couple of overs and we'll try and utilise the lights."

Brook, who top-scored with 89, added to talkSPORT: "I think it was a great declaration. To get three wickets there is vital and hopefully we can force a few more early tomorrow."

Ben Duckett finished with 84 runs from just 68 balls and said: "We knew the conditions under lights tonight were going to suit us with the ball, and that was the reason for the declaration.

"We could have easily had five or six [wickets] tonight. Stick two on that in the morning and suddenly they're a long way behind the game and we're in a very good position."

Neil Wagner, who bowled Brook as one of four wickets and was at the crease at the close of play, suggested New Zealand "sort of expected" the declaration.

"We knew they are going to play a positive brand of cricket, and they did," Wagner said. "It's quite exciting for Test cricket."

Wagner added: "After that dinner break, we thought they might come out a little harder, get to the point where they were really trying to up the ante, score as quick as they can and just get us in there."

Joe Root's men were dealt a blow before winning the toss with the news that paceman Jofra Archer would be unable to play at the Wanderers because of elbow soreness.

Having seen his side take command of the third Test in Port Elizabeth with a dominant first-innings batting display, Root elected to give his charges the same opportunity, and openers Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley laid an excellent foundation.

Crawley was in fluent form as he scored his first half-century for his country but England slumped to 157-4 after the first-wicket stand of 107 was broken. 

Root (25 not out) and Ollie Pope (22 not out) steadied the ship, the former seeing England to the half-a-million milestone as they reached 192-4 before bad light stopped play.

After falling six runs short of a fifty at St George's Park, Crawley made no mistake in Johannesburg in a stylish innings that featured 11 boundaries, combining with Sibley for England's first century opening stand since December 2016.

Crawley's maiden international 50 was brought up in more fortuitous fashion with a thick edge through point but Sibley, having successfully reviewed an lbw decision and been given a reprieve by a no-ball, was not so lucky.

A centurion in the second match in Cape Town, Sibley was strangled down the leg side on 44 as Beuran Hendricks claimed a wicket on his Test debut.

Vernon Philander then ensured he will end his final Test with a wicket as Crawley presented a simple catch to Rassie van der Dussen, who made another grab at slip to end a difficult 35-ball spell at the crease for Joe Denly (27).

South African hopes of an England collapse were given a significant boost when talisman Ben Stokes fell to Anrich Nortje for just two, the all-rounder's attempt at a drive seeing him send another straight to Van der Dussen.

Stokes was involved in a verbal altercation with a fan as he left the field but, while England will now have to wait to see if he faces any repercussions from that, in terms of the match their position was improved as Root and Pope provided stability.

They did so in confident fashion. Root surpassed 7,500 Test runs with a pull through midwicket for four and his single through the covers took England to the historic 500,000 mark.

The fading light saw the fifth-wicket partnership interrupted on 35 and, though England have plenty of batting to come, Root and Pope will know that stretching their stand well into day two will go a long way to sealing a 3-1 series victory.

Sibley put England in a commanding position against the Proteas with an unbeaten 133 as the tourists declared on 391-8, setting the home team a target of 438.

The Warwickshire man was playing just his fourth Test as he steered England towards victory, with the Proteas still 312 runs shy of victory heading into day five.

"It's probably one of the best days of my life," Sibley told Sky Sports. "I was a bit nervy on 95 when I nicked one off [Kagiso] Rabada and luckily turned around and saw it race away to the rope.

"It was nice to get one away off [Keshav] Maharaj and a nice big celebration."

The opener is now hopeful he can add further "addictive" tons in the remainder of the series, with England eight wickets away from winning the Test and drawing level in South Africa.

"Your first one makes you feel like you can do it here - especially against a really good attack," he said. "I just want to keep doing it, to be honest.

"That feeling was pretty addictive today, with the way the crowd was. It doesn't mean I'm going to rest on my laurels. I'll train hard and hopefully have another couple in this series."

Sibley was feeling the pressure overnight as he sat on 85, but Ben Stokes, a new partner on Monday morning, was in destructive mood - making 72 off 47 - to aid his team-mate.

The centurion added at a news conference: "I slept terribly, to be honest. I was up at like 2am, watching TV, thinking about the 15 runs.

"It feels amazing right now. I'm just glad that I got over the line.

"I think [Stokes] took the pressure off me, made it really easy to just go at my own tempo. He kept saying to me, 'Don't change what you're doing, just play the way you play'.

"So when he was whacking it everywhere and I was nurdling it around and playing and missing and stuff, it was nice that, at the other end, he was doing the scoring. I could just go about it in my own way."

The Windies captain returned career-best figures of 6-42 while Shannon Gabriel weighed in with 4-62 as the tourists' quicks dismissed England for 204 under gloomy skies before tea on the second day.

Ben Stokes, captaining England for the first time in Joe Root's absence, top-scored with 43 but was one of half a dozen Holder victims as the giant seamer continued his fine form in Tests.

England could only remove John Campbell (28) before bad light stopped play, with West Indies 57-1, 147 runs behind.

Wet weather meant just 17.4 overs were possible on the first day of Test cricket following the worldwide coronavirus-enforced break, and England resumed on 35-1.

Rory Burns (30) soon went past 1,000 Test runs before Gabriel found his rhythm, Joe Denly the first to depart with one that nipped back between bat and pad and clattered into his stumps.

Burns and Zak Crawley were both removed lbw following successful West Indies reviews and England lost their fourth wicket of the session when Ollie Pope edged Holder behind.

Stokes was dropped either side of lunch and he was closing in on a half-century following a 67-run partnership with vice-captain Jos Buttler.

Yet Holder struck once more to send back Stokes, Shane Dowrich taking a catch behind the stumps, as he did again with a dive to his right to oust Buttler (35).

Another successful Windies lbw review accounted for Jofra Archer and, despite some late resistance from Dom Bess (31 not out), England only just snuck beyond past 200.

Windies opener Campbell then overturned two lbw decisions awarded to James Anderson, for whom it was a case of third time lucky, and it was not long before Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope came off due to the poor light.

HOLDER'S HOT STREAK

It was Gabriel who did the damage in the morning but Holder grabbed the ball and took charge after lunch with the dismissals of Stokes and Buttler.

His figures were the best for a West Indies captain in England and he has now taken at least five wickets in an innings in six of his past 10 Tests.

REVIEWS PRODUCE REWARDS

Holder's brilliance was not only restricted to his bowling endeavours as he also successfully overturned three lbw decisions given not out on the field in England's innings.

Campbell survived, twice, after being given out by the standing umpires too, before eventually unsuccessfully reviewing a third time. Home umpires are being used in this Test due to COVID-19 restrictions but, to be fair to Richard Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth, they were a series of marginal calls.

MOMENT OF THE DAY - HOLDER WINS BATTLE OF THE CAPTAINS

Stokes was playing his usual talismanic role after lunch, utilising his feet to disrupt the bowlers' lines and producing a crucial sixth-wicket alliance with his deputy Buttler.

But in the battle of the all-round skippers, it was Holder who eventually came out on top from around the wicket, as Stokes prodded at a fuller delivery and got an outside edge.

All-rounder Stokes took an "indefinite break from all cricket" in July for his mental wellbeing and to also allow an injured index finger to fully heal.

Stokes last played for England in a three-match one-day series against Pakistan in July.

His team-mates, including Test captain Joe Root and limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan, spoke out to support Stokes' decision to take a break. 

The 30-year-old has been a key performer for England in all formats of the game and inspired them to the 50-over World Cup in 2019.

England head coach Chris Silverwood, who has not yet talked to Stokes, will name his squad for the T20 World Cup on Thursday.

"We are going to leave that one late, to give it our best chance," Silverwood said.

"I want to give him as much space as possible but there are people talking to him outside of me and it is something we will be revisiting shortly.

"I haven't spoken to him as yet. But I will not be putting pressure on him, will not be rushing him and whatever support he needs he will get.

"First and foremost my only concern is for him and make sure he's okay. That's the starting point I will be at and the rest of the questions will come.

"I need to make sure he is okay and that is my primary concern."

England's first game of the T20 World Cup, staged in United Arab Emirates and Oman, is against West Indies on October 23.

The opener combined with his skipper to chase down the 55 runs required in Tuesday's first session on day four for an eight-wicket win in Karachi, to complete a historic 3-0 clean sweep.

No other touring side has ever achieved the latter feat in a Test series in Pakistan, with the result continuing to vindicate Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum's aggressive approach to red-ball cricket.

Duckett, back in the Test side for the first time since 2016, posted one century and three further half-centuries across six innings, but was more than happy to credit his captain for their success abroad this month.

"It was fitting that Ben Stokes was there," he told Sky Sports. "We played to our strengths and thankfully got off to a flier.

"I'm very happy. I tried to stick to my game. The mindset of this team from the start of the summer, it is brilliant to come in to as you have the full backing to play the game your way.

"I'm not sure I will play in a team like this again. We are willing to lose games to win and if you go with that mentality, all the pressure goes off you. We are just trying to enjoy it."

Though Duckett's resurgence has helped offer hope for the immediate future amid England's otherwise thin opening batsman options, it was the middle order where they thrived, with Harry Brook particularly impressing.

With 468 runs in five innings – including three centuries – the 23-year-old excelled in the conditions in Pakistan, and credited his displays to the freedom enjoyed under Stokes.

"It is a good feeling to come out here and do something no other team has done," he said. "We all put our hard work in, and we've been phenomenal.

"I've been out here a couple of times. It's quite lucky that I started my Test career out here and adapting to conditions as soon as possible. The way the team has been playing, I think I fit in quite well here."

With the Indian Premier League just around the corner, Brook's impressive performances in red-and-white-ball cricket – he was a member of the T20 World Cup-winning side – have him hopeful of a call.

"It is a competition I've always watched since I was younger and the best franchise competition out there," he added. "Hopefully I get picked up.

"[But for now] I'll be having some family time and a fair bit of food at Christmas."

The West Indies legend burst onto the Test scene at just 17, setting the stage for a remarkable career.

His debut for his country came on March 30 back in 1954.

On the 66th anniversary of that occasion, we use Opta data to see just how Sobers stacks up against his fellow all-rounders.

A RUN FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

The most remarkable display of Sobers' batting credentials came in his stunning 365 not outagainst Pakistan.

That knock, which was a record when he produced it as a 21-year-old in 1958, stands as his all-time best from 93 Tests, eclipsing his all-rounder rivals.

Next on the list is England's Ben Stokes with 258, with South Africa's Jacques Kallis taking third spot with 224.

Of the rest, Stokes' compatriot Ian Botham (208) is the only other man with a double-century under his belt.
 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Compiling a big score is one thing, but consistently racking up runs is the real test of talent.

The numbers favour Soberson that front, too. His average of 57.8 again puts him top of the pile.

Kallis comes a close second with 55.4, with none of the other contenders even breaking into the 40s.

Pakistan's Imran Khan averaged 37.7, with Keith Miller posting 37.0 for Australia.
 

SOBERS THE CENTURY KING

In 160 Test innings, Sobers recorded 26 centuries.

While that figure pales next to Kallis' 45, the Proteas great took 280 innings to reach that tally.

That means Sobers triumphs again in this category, with 16.3 per centof his innings producing scores of 100 or more, with Kallis standing at 16.1 per cent.

Nobody else on the list can boast a double-figure percentage, with Botham on 8.7 and Miller on 8.
 

HANDY WITH THE BALL

Sobers claimed 235 wicketsfrom 159 Test innings with the ball.

In this area, at least, he does have to take a back seat to some more prolific wicket-taking all-rounders.

Chief among them is Kapil Dev, who accounted for 434 victims in a stellar India career.

Richard Hadlee's 431 puts the New Zealander second, with Botham on 383and Khan on 362.

BEST FIGURES STAND UP

With best figures of 6-73, Sobers compares favourably with his competitors. 

Hadleeand Devboth enjoyed nine-wicket innings, but Botham's 8-34 in 1978 against Pakistan is the pick of the bunch.

Sobers' best match figures are 8-80, with Hadlee the proud owner of a 15-wicket haul.

With 36 five-fors, Hadlee also leads the way on that score, with Botham (27) followed by Khan and Dev (both 23).

Sobers', meanwhile, had just six five-fors.

NOBODY IS PERFECT

Although the data clearly supports Sobers' status as the GOAT, there is one category in which he comes last.

His bowling average - still a very commendable 34- is a long way short of the 22.3that belongs to Hadlee.

Khan (22.8)and Miller (23) are also a long way ahead of Sobers.

Gayle surpassed 1,000 career maximums in Twenty20 cricket - the first player to reach that number - before being dismissed for 99, bowled by Jofra Archer (2-26).

The left-hander's wonderful 63-ball knock, coupled with a late cameo from fellow West Indian Nicholas Pooran (22), powered Kings XI to 185-4. 

However, the Royals overhauled that total with seven wickets in hand, moving them level with their fourth-placed opponents on 12 points as the round-robin stage draws towards a close. 

Ben Stokes led the way in the chase with a 26-ball 50 at the top of the order, while Sanju Samson made 48 and Rajasthan skipper Steve Smith finished up unbeaten on 31. 

Jos Buttler hurried his team to their target with two late sixes as he made 22 not out from 11 deliveries, the Royals clinching victory thanks to a Chris Jordan wide midway through the 18th over. 

GAYLE LAUNCHES INTO ROYALS

There was to be no 23rd T20 century for Gayle, though the 41-year-old still reached a notable milestone during his innings. He boosted his career sixes total with eight more on Friday, including one off Archer in the 20th over that took him to 1,001.

However, the bowler got his revenge with the next ball, aided by a deflection off bat and pad. Gayle threw his bat after falling just short, then shared a handshake with Archer before departing.

ROYALS RUNNING INTO FORM

Having returned figures of 2-32 with the ball, Stokes gave Rajasthan's reply the early impetus it required. His half-century here followed on from an unbeaten 107 against Mumbai Indians last time out.

The England international appears to be coming into form at the perfect time for the Royals, though they still remain outside the top four in the table. They have one game remaining - against fellow play-off hopefuls Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday - and the fight to qualify could well come down to net run-rate.

Brendon McCullum and Stokes have formed a fearsome duo as England's captain and coach combination of their red-ball side, winning 13 of 18 Tests since joining together.

A stark upturn in fortunes for England's previously flailing side in the longest format of cricket has been led by Stokes and McCullum's insistence to play a free-flowing, attacking style against the red ball.

A 2-2 series draw in the most recent Ashes series further served to grow Stokes' stature as a captain, and former England skipper Gower acknowledged he could not have predicted this development before.

"I think Ben Stokes has proven himself to be an extraordinary leader of a cricket team and men," Gower told Stats Perform. 

"There is a lot about him that knowing him six or seven years ago, I just wouldn't have believed possible. But life has taught him all sorts of lessons.

"First of all, he has a great instinct for the game and a great instinct for pushing a game ahead to win. He loves winning and doesn't like losing, so will hurt for the ones they've lost, but hates drawing even more.

"That's an extraordinary attitude to have, because so many new captains, including his predecessor, Joe Root, would have taken a very different attitude to the possibility of a draw.

"He's created this culture along with McCullum, but he's got the instinct for the game."

Australia retained the Ashes after a 2-2 away series draw, having won the previous edition Down Under, after racing into a 2-0 lead in England with victories at Edgbaston and Lord's.

A first-innings declaration in the first Test at Edgbaston by Stokes, with Root on an unbeaten century and set to punish the toiling Australian bowlers, caused some questions.

Yet Gower refused to criticise Stokes for his decision to again try and push the red-ball outing towards a result.

He added: "The declaration at Edgbaston was derided by some and there's a fair case to argue there but was an interesting one, because [Stuart] Broad against [David] Warner was a tasty morsel at the start of an Ashes series.

"It could have laid down on marker but it didn't, but there you go, it's worth a go. But he has empathy for his players, he seems to understand his players.

"Good captains need to be on duty all the time. You've got decisions to make all the time. There will be mistakes, and there'll be ones you might revise with time to think about it, but you've got to go with your gut.

"Got to go with your instinct, and you've got to take people with you. And that is clearly evident with Stokes and McCullum, but Stokes as captain has taken that team with him all the way through."

While Stokes has largely been heralded for his influence as captain, Australian counterpart Pat Cummins came under scrutiny for a somewhat defensive plan to stem the flow of England's attacking output.

"You've got two very different teams, the makeup of the two teams is very, very different," Gower continued. "So Cummins' options were different.

"Cummins has one of the best attacks in the world at his disposal, and he is the leader of that attack. He also had a very good man, dare I say, in Steve Smith as his vice-captain.

"You need someone else besides you, who can advise and point things out and be in your ear to help you along.

"Both [captains] at various stages lead from the front. Stokes' 150 at Lord's was just awesome to watch. Cummins, at Birmingham with the bat, those crucial runs at the end. 

"He saw it through, lead from the front himself."

Gower also suggested the different options at the captain's disposal somewhat dictated their respective plans.

"The difference is England have six or seven batsmen who can force the pace," he said. "So they were always going to play that way, trust their instincts and accept the mistakes that come along with taking risks.

"Australia are always going to have to play at a different pace to England. That's why the 2-2 result at the end proves that there are various ways to skin a cat, and you can win games by being good at what you do. 

"Cummins and Stokes had different options. That's why in the end, I think it's so fascinating to see it all finish up with the series all square."

That is the view of former South Africa and Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford, who now leads Ireland.

Stokes ended Virat Kohli's three-year reign in possession of the honour when he was handed the award in April following a stunning 2019 for the England all-rounder.

The 28-year-old helped his country to Cricket World Cup success on home soil.

Stokes was also outstanding in a 2-2 Ashes series draw in which he produced one of the all-time great innings to seal victory in the third Test, scoring 135 not out to see England home by one wicket at Headingley.

"I can't see how [Stokes] couldn't be the recipient of the award," Ford told Stats Perform.

"He's just such a great entertainer, the attitude he shows on the field is just such a fantastic example for any cricketer. It's just a never-say-die attitude.

"At times, the team could be going through a really tough day, somehow he still seems to be enjoying that toughness. It's a freakish type of quality.

"There's a huge excitement for any cricket fan to watch this great entertainer. I mean, who doesn't want to watch batting and entertaining?

"And in the last year he's played these fantastic innings, he's done it before this last year, but in particular this last year he's been fantastic.

"Every single team in the world would want him to be playing for them, it's as simple as that."