India, July 11 -- If you have been following England ever since the appointment of Brendon McCullum as the Test coach in 2022, you would be aware that Ben Stokes really likes to bowl first after winning the toss. It has been very rare that the England captain felt the need to bat first. However, a loss in the Edgbaston game against India forced the hosts to alter their plans as Stokes decided to have a crack with the bat first at the Lord's Cricket Ground after winning the flip of the coin.

As soon as Ben Stokes announced that England would bat first, a huge cheer was heard at the home of cricket. The call even left former India head coach Ravi Shastri as he revealed that he was taken aback by the call.

At stumps on Day 1, England reach...