IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Will Ben Stokes Feature On Day 2? England Captain Battling With Injury

IND vs ENG 3rd Test: England have been left holding their breath over the fitness of captain Ben Stokes after he appeared to pick up a groin injury on the opening day of the third Test against India at Lord's.

Stokes pulled up in discomfort after lunging forward to negotiate a delivery from India's Nitish Kumar Reddy and needed on-field treatment from the physio.

Despite the clear signs of pain, Stokes continued to bat, showing resilience but also significant physical struggle. He was seen limping between the wickets and frequently stretching between deliveries to ease the discomfort. The sight of the England skipper hobbling around the crease was concerning for the hosts, especially with two more Tests left in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.

Joe Root, who was batting alongside Stokes, played a cautious final over of the day. Root moved to 98 but opted against a second run on the final ball, likely to avoid aggravating his captain's condition. Stokes remained unbeaten on 39 from 102 balls at stumps, as England reached 251 for 4 in their first innings.

Speaking at the post-day press conference, vice-captain Ollie Pope acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Stokes' condition. "Fingers crossed he can do something magical and come back strong," Pope said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "I've not seen him since, so fingers crossed there's nothing too serious. But clearly we've got a big Test over the next four days and we've got a big two coming up as well, so it is important to try and manage him."

Pope also stressed the importance of preventing Stokes from risking further damage. "We'll see how he pulls up tomorrow, but for me, that is partially one of my roles, to make sure that he doesn't push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he's dealing with at the moment," he said. "I'm sure the physios, the medics will work with him to lay out a plan and then I'll help push him in the right direction."

Stokes' batting may have lacked fluency in recent months, but his leadership remains central to England's aggressive BazBall approach. Should the injury sideline him, Harry Brook is next in line to take over the reins.