ENG vs IND, 3rd Test: Ben Stokes braces for Jasprit Bumrah’s return at Lord’s after England suffer 336-run defeat to India in second Test at Edgbaston.

England were handed a humbling defeat in the second Test by a dominant Indian side — and the most telling part? Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t even playing.

India triumphed by a staggering 336 runs Edgbaston, a result that has sent ripples through the English camp, especially with news of Bumrah’s return for the third Test at Lord’s, starting July 10.

Captain Ben Stokes, visibly frustrated yet pragmatic in the aftermath of the defeat, admitted how difficult it is to replicate Bumrah’s bowling even in the most advanced training scenarios.

ENG vs IND: Ben Stokes on Bumrah's Return

After being asked—yet again—about the Indian paceman, a visibly weary Stokes quipped, “I thought I’d get through a press conference without being asked about Jasprit Bumrah. We play against each other so often you know what you will be faced with so you put it into practise in training.”

England tried to simulate India’s pace battery during practice, but as Stokes acknowledged, replicating Bumrah’s unique bowling style is near impossible.

“Try to do what you can with the coaches and the sidearms, going wide on the crease, trying to give you practise like their bowling lineup. It's always tough to replicate something that will come down at you in a game,” he added.

India’s Trump Card Rested, Still Rolled Over England 

Indian captain Shubman Gill confirmed after the match that Bumrah was rested as part of workload management. Yet, even in his absence, India’s bowling unit demolished England’s batting line-up in both innings, exposing a fragile middle-order and shaky top.

With the series level at 1-1, Bumrah’s return for the third Test at the historic Lord’s ground will be viewed as a major boost for India — and a cause for concern in the English camp.

Will Jofra Archer Return Fire? Stokes Non-committal 

While Bumrah’s comeback has made headlines, England’s own pace spearhead Jofra Archer remains a maybe. Archer was present with the squad during the second Test and participated in training, but Stokes isn’t rushing to make a call.

“Again, it'll be a decision that we have to make seeing how everyone pull up. We've had him here this week to get around the group and build him up with his workloads. Everyone's in consideration for the game at Lord's,” Stokes said.

Ben Stokes Urges Calm

Despite the heavy loss, Stokes struck a tone of composure and resilience. Under his leadership, England have embraced an aggressive and free-spirited style of cricket. But the skipper knows that consistency is just as crucial.

“We've obviously had some unbelievable wins and some bad defeats. I feel I'm quite good and the team is quite good at staying level throughout those ups and downs. We knew coming into the series it wasn't going to be easy,” he admitted.

The turnaround between games is tight, and Stokes knows that dwelling on defeat won’t serve his side.

“Disappointed with the loss here as it would have been great to carry the momentum over from the first game but we don’t find ourselves sitting here like that. We have to wipe this one under the carpet as quickly as we can because Lord’s day one will be coming round pretty quickly," he added.

Ben Stokes To Focus on Physical and Mental Recovery

For Stokes, the focus is now on physical and mental recovery. In his typically grounded fashion, he spoke about preparation not just as strategy, but as mindset.

“We will have one or two days to get the bodies right and recover and all of sudden we will be out there flipping the coin. It’s about staying as level as you possibly can and not getting too up or low, staying true to the fundamentals of what’s got this team to where we are," the England Test skipper said.

India’s attack will be bolstered by the return of the world’s most feared fast bowler. England, already on the backfoot, have little time to regroup. The third Test at Lord’s promises fireworks — and with Bumrah back, the heat is very much on.