5 reasons why India will defeat England in the second Test at Lord's

#4) The absence of Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes will miss the upcoming Test match at Lord's

Well, you might wonder how the absence of one player might determine the fate of an entire Test match.

Regardless, that's just the way it is when it comes to the talented English all-rounder, Ben Stokes. From scoring 258 against the mighty Proteas at Cape Town to being one of the hottest properties in the IPL, Stokes has come a long way in his career. One of the best all rounders in all three formats of Cricket, Stokes has been more successful at Lord's than any other venue he has played at.

He averages 40.36 in six Test matches at Lord's scoring 444 runs which includes four half-centuries and a century (101). Stokes has taken 17 wickets at this venue with his best figures being 6/22.

Furthermore, the manner in which he tormented the Indian batting line-up in the first Test was absolutely sensational. He dispatched two key middle order batsmen--Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik in the first innings, before his exploits with the red cherry in the second innings (4/40), which included the prized wicket of Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

After Kohli's removal India's chances looked bleak, despite Hardik Pandya playing well at the other end. Stokes' trial in relation to the night-club incident that occurred in Bristol in September 2017 began today.

Since it's likely to last for five days, he is all set to miss the second Test as Chris Woakes has already been announced as his replacement. His absence will surely hinder England's chances at Lord's.