Former England captain Michael Atherton has raised concerns over the toughest challenge Ben Stokes is likely to face yet in his tenure as skipper—lifting a demoralised England side ahead of the third Test at Lord’s following a crushing 336-run defeat to India at Edgbaston in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Heading into the series, much of the English media was focused on the upcoming Ashes, with the India series seemingly viewed as a stepping stone. But after such a lopsided loss in Birmingham, that narrative has flipped. The spotlight is now firmly on how England, and particularly Stokes, respond under pressure.

“In the three years Ben Stokes has captained England, it is hard to think of a sterner test than what lies ahead over the next two days,” Michael Atherton wrote in his column for The Times. “This will be a massive examination of his leadership qualities, and his own mental and physical resilience.”

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Atherton pointed out that while Stokes had taken a few days to regroup after the loss in Leeds during the Ashes, he doesn’t have that luxury now. With just a short turnaround before the Lord’s Test, the onus is on Stokes to quickly regroup the squad and reset the mindset. Atherton painted the Edgbaston defeat as a reality check—England paid the price for a reckless approach, and now must recalibrate.

“His workload wasn’t all that different from Leeds,” Michael Atherton noted. “He spent more time in the field, bowled fewer overs, batted a bit less—but the emotional toll of defeat is much heavier. If he felt drained after Leeds with a week’s break, how must he feel now with just three days before the next battle?”

On the selection front, Atherton urged changes to England’s bowling unit, calling for the inclusion of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson—both returning from injury. Atkinson, in particular, has a stellar record at Lord’s, picking up 19 wickets in two matches at an average of 10.94.

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“I’d stick with the batting order but freshen the seam attack,” Michael Atherton advised. “Bring in Archer and Atkinson for Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse.”

With the series now level at 1-1, England’s response at Lord’s won’t just define this series—it could also shape Stokes’ captaincy legacy.