MANCHESTER: Despite England bowling 63 overs in India’s second innings on Day 5 of their fourth Test against England here at the Old Trafford Ground, their skipper Ben Stokes didn’t bowl a single over. After playing a huge knock of 141 off 198 balls, Stokes decided to give some rest to his body, which might have raised a few questions over his fitness. Allaying all those concerns, the all-rounder on Sunday morning steamed in to make life difficult for India batters especially his Indian counterpart Shubman Gill.

While it was Gill, who at times, looked vulnerable against him, it was KL Rahul who fell to Stokes within the first hour of play. The gritty pacer did all these while visibly in pain as he was seen holding his right hip and rubbing his right shoulder frequently. Braving injury, Stokes bowled eight overs on a trot claiming a wicket and giving away just 12 runs.

Earlier, India resumed at 174/2 with spinner Liam Dawson opening the bowling for the hosts. Stokes joined him from the Sir James Anderson End and made the fourth ball of his first over nip back in. It stayed low too and hit Gill on his pad but caused no damage as it was going down the leg. In his next over, Gill drove a Stokes’ delivery in air to short cover, where Ollie Pope attempted a leaping catch but couldn’t hold on to it. The India captain then steered down a ball on his pads to fine leg for the first boundary of the day.