Sanjay Bangar says England’s bowling attack would lack zip without Ben Stokes at Oval Test

Former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar believes England’s bowling attack would lack teeth if Ben Stokes isn’t able to bowl in the fifth Test match against India. Stokes suffered a hamstring strain while batting on the third day’s play at Old Trafford, Manchester.

The England captain then didn’t bowl on the fourth day’s play when the home team bowled a total of 63 overs. On the final day’s play, Stokes bowled 11 overs despite experiencing shoulder pain.

Stokes has been the pick of the England bowlers in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar series as he has scalped 17 wickets in four Test matches at an average of 25.24 and he is the highest wicket-taker of the series.

“It all depends on whether Ben Stokes is available to bowl or not. He did bowl in a limited or restrained manner in the last Test match. I think without him, this attack lacks that zip. That is amply proven by the fact that he is still their highest wicket-taker,” Sanjay Bangar said on Star Sports show Game Plan.

Bangar highlighted that England’s fast bowler Jofra Archer hasn’t looked threatening while bowling to right-handers.

“If he is not bowling, the Indian team has a great chance because none of the other bowlers have looked that effective. Yes, there is a threat of Jofra Archer, but once the right-handers come, he looks a totally different bowler than when he is bowling to the left-handers,” Bangar observed.

Bangar noted that Chris Woakes hasn’t been hurrying the Indian batters in the ongoing series. 

“Chris Woakes hasn’t been hurrying the batters. Even though swing has been missing, he is not even hurrying the batters. I think that is going to take a toll. The very fact that Carse has also played all the four Test matches and potentially the fifth one as well, he looked a little bit jaded in the first innings of the Manchester Test. Those are encouraging signs,” he said.

“From a distance, you think that if Stokes is not bowling, you might pile up a huge score and dismiss the fragile English batting when it comes under pressure. If you compare what India did at Manchester to what England were asked to do at Edgbaston, where they just had to bat four sessions, I think they crumbled,” Bangar observed.

The fifth and final Test match between England and India will be played at the Kennington Oval, London, from 31st July onwards.