An out-of-sorts Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli and other men in the spotlight as England and India prepare for Lord's battle

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  • Alastair Cook's form is in focus ahead of the Lord's Test.

    After a momentous battle at Edgbaston, England and India are all set to resume their rivalry when the two sides meet at Lord’s for the second Test on August 9.

    With a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, the hosts will be looking to widen the gap further while the visitors will be itching to get themselves back on level terms.

    As the two heavyweights get ready to go head-to-head once again, we look at the players who will be under the spotlight at Lord’s.

    ALASTAIR COOK

    The 157-Test veteran has been a shadow of his former self for quite some time now. For a man once touted to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 51 Test tons, Cook’s returns have been vastly diminishing since 2016. In 2015-16, the opener registered five centuries and 15 fifties in 59 Test innings. Since the turn of 2017, Cook has only managed to muster two tons along with three half-centuries in 31 innings. One of the tons (243) came against West Indies at home while the other (244) came in a dead-rubber against Australia at Melbourne.

    He was dismissed in identical fashion in both innings at Edgbaston by Ravi Ashwin who has now dismissed the left-hander nine times in the Test format. Make no mistake, India will unleash Ashwin early once again against Cook at Lord’s and it remains to be seen if the veteran can pass that test this time.

    Cook's form since 2016 has been on a downward spiral.

    Cook’s form since 2016 has been on a downward spiral.

    CHRIS WOAKES

    England’s star all-rounder and Edgbaston victory protagonist Ben Stokes will be missing at Lord’s due to his much publicised trial at Bristol. Stokes’ bowling displays in both innings at Birmingham were pivotal for England’s victory and it will be quite the task for Chris Woakes to replicate those contributions when he takes the field at Lord’s.

    Woakes has only recently returned from a prolonged injury-layoff and it will be imperative that he hit the ground running straight away if England are to balance the loss of Stokes’ contributions to the side.

    Woakes will need to fill Stokes' boots adequately.

    Woakes will need to fill Stokes’ boots adequately.

    VIRAT KOHLI

    Virat Kohli has been under the spotlight ever since the five-match Test series was announced. The India skipper’s poor track record in England and against James Anderson in particular was in focus when the two sides met at Edgbaston. He answered all his critics with a titanic performance which saw him register his maiden Test ton on English soil.

    The epitome of a warrior and a batsman at the very top of his game currently, Kohli looks to be in the mood to have a monster series. He accounted for 200 of the 414 runs India scored with the bat at Birmingham and he will be hoping for a little more support from the rest of the Indian batsmen this time around.

    His heroics at Edgbaston coupled with the failure of the rest of the batting unit were reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar carrying India on his shoulders in the 1990s. Now, Kohli will want to do something his idol never achieved in his illustrious career – to get his name on the honours’ board at Lord’s.

    Kohli looks poised to have a monster series.

    Kohli looks poised to have a monster series.

    AJINKYA RAHANE

    While Kohli will want to carry on his stupendous form, he will be hoping from some more support from the rest of the Indian batting line-up. One man he will be hoping can step up at Lord’s is Ajinkya Rahane.

    Rahane has been India’s most consistent overseas batsman in recent years but his performance at Edgbaston left plenty to be desired. He was one of the architects of India’s victory the last time they played a Test at Lord’s with a masterful knock of 104 in the first innings in 2014.

    The middle-order batsman will want to evoke the memories of that innings as he takes guard at the ‘home of cricket’ and provide the support Kohli so desperately needs right now.

    Rahane will need to summon the memories of his 2014 showing.

    Rahane will need to summon the memories of his 2014 showing.

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