3 reasons why Ben Stokes bowling in 4th Test would be a big boost for England

Ben Stokes hasn't bowled in Test cricket for England since June 2023 after undergoing a knee operation. However, the 32-year-old has stated that he might return to the bowling crease in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

Stokes responded when asked about the possibility of him bowling during the remainder of the India Test series (via the ICC):

"I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no. Me being me, I'm always very optimistic about most things. That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk."

He added:

"I managed to bowl at 100 percent in one of the warm-up days here which made me feel pretty good. I felt like I could have bowled in the game but that would have been stupid."

England find themselves in a precarious position after suffering a huge 434-run loss against India in the third Test in Rajkot. The series now stands at 2-1 in favor of the hosts, and the visitors will have to bear severe consequences on the WTC points table if they are not able to turn the series around.

On that note, let's look at three reasons why Ben Stokes bowling in the fourth Test will be a big boost for England:

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#1 Ben Stokes thrives under pressure and loves taking responsibility

Ben Stokes is one of England's biggest match-winners in history, as he can take the game by the scruff of the neck when he wants to. This was on full display during the 2019 ODI World Cup final as well as the Headingley Test in the 2019 Ashes series.

While he already has a lot of responsibility as the captain and is one of the important batters, he would be able to make a bigger impact if he started bowling as well. The right-arm pacer will feel that he is more in control of the proceedings if he has the opportunity to roll his arm over.

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#2 The England contingent will be rejuvenated

If Ben Stokes is available to bowl for the remainder of the series, it will also have a positive impact on the players around him. Sometimes, the whole complexion of the game changes when one of your most important players is used in a limited manner.

Seeing Stokes bowl again will motivate the English players to try harder in the last two Tests, as they will feel they have a better chance of beating India. If England continue with the same combination of players, the bowlers will get some extra rest between spells if the 32-year-old is fit to bowl.

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#3 Stokes bowling again will add more balance to the team

England's batters were not up to the mark in the third Test, with Ben Duckett's 153 sort of papering over the cracks in what was a dismal effort from the visitors' batting unit. If Ben Stokes feels confident about bowling around 20 overs per innings, Brendon McCullum could add another batter to the side.

The Rajkot Test was the first time England opted for two pacers in this series, as both James Anderson and Mark Wood featured in the lineup. However, if Stokes bowls, they could remove one of those two pacers and include an extra batter in the team.