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Michael Atherton believes the Lord's Test will be a stern challenge for Ben Stokes' England captaincy after the heavy Edgbaston defeat. The upcoming match will be a test of Stokes' leadership and resilience, according to Atherton.

Following a heavy defeat in the second Test, England coach Brendon McCullum has requested a faster, bouncier pitch for the upcoming Lord's Test. This comes after both McCullum and captain Ben Stokes acknowledged misreading the Edgbaston pitch, describing it as a "subcontinent-type" surface that favored India's bowlers.

Rishabh Pant's historic twin centuries at Headingley propelled him to seventh in ICC Test rankings, while Ben Duckett's stellar performance secured him eighth position. Shubman Gill climbed to 20th after a century. Jasprit Bumrah remains the top Test bowler. In T20Is, Michael Levitt and Brandon McMullen made significant gains, reflecting the growing competitiveness in international cricket.