England vs India: Absence of Ben Stokes in second Test doesn’t worry coach Trevor Bayliss

He played a key part in stopping India from reaching the modest target of 194 in the first Test in Birmingham by taking four wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, in the second innings. But Ben Stokes will not be available at Lord’s and Trevor Bayliss, the coach of the home team, feels it will need somebody to “take up the slack for the second Test”.

Stokes had to be left out of the squad for the second Test starting at Lord’s on August 9 as he has to face a trial in connection with a brawl that took place at a nightclub in Bristol in September last year. The trail is set to begin on Monday. All-rounder Chris Woakes has replaced Stokes in the 13-man squad announced by ECB.

Bayliss, a former Australian first-class cricketer, said ahead of the second of the five Tests that he had got no concerns about it.

“It means that someone else has got to take up the slack. Hopefully winning this one and having that confidence will be a good thing,” he was quoted as saying by BBC.

Stokes himself said after England’s 31-run win at Edgbaston that he wasn’t sure of his feelings about the circumstances he saw himself in but the coach said that the 27-year-old all-rounder was not too much worried.

Ben has no concerns

“Ben has no concerns about it as well. Obviously, it’s something we would have liked to have not been happening. That was the same in Australia [during the Ashes, which Stokes had to miss]. But the boys in Australia just got on with it. There was a bit of chat before the series started but once we got out there it was about playing as well as we possibly can with the guys we’ve got,” Bayliss added.

The 55-year-old also said that it will be interesting to see who in the squad does the extra work to make up for the unavailable all-rounder in the upcoming Test. “It will be interesting to see who can step up and take his place. Someone, or two or three guys, will have to step up and do the extra yards. That will be a telling factor for the next match.”

Bayliss was hopeful about Woakes, who played against Pakistan in June after Stokes suffered an injury, saying the all-rounder was in “match mode” and there should not be any issue with his fitness.

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