Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain questioned England captain Ben Stokes’ key decisions after Pakistan took control of the decisive third Test.

England have a mountain to climb in Rawalpindi after another top-class collapse by the Pakistan spinners left them 24-3 in their second innings on day two (still 53 runs behind).

A challenging century from Saud Shakeel – who featured alongside leaders Noman Ali and Sajid Khan in stands 88 and 72 – transformed Pakistan’s fortunes as they secured an unlikely first-innings lead of 77 after 177-7.

In response, England lost their top three in just nine overs before stumps emerged as Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope fell, but for Hussain just as much damage was done in the field with ball in hand.

“I think Stokes did (miss a stroke),” said former England captain Hussain Sky Sports Cricket. “If you listened to the hype about the pitch yesterday, it was a very difficult pitch to hit on because you could only play certain shots.

“I think it got into Stokes and England’s minds that they would have their catchers (close) and stop the boundaries. If Pakistan got some, so be it, they wouldn’t get away from them and eventually there would be a ball with their name on it.

“What surprised me wasn’t the fact that Stokes took men out, he has done that a number of times. It was that he didn’t bring men up when Saud Shakeel hit them for one.

“Stokes didn’t bring players forward and enticed the batsman to hit over the top, and fair play against Saud Shakeel. He said if you’re willing to offer me freebie runs, I’m going to take them, and he kept taking them. and take them.”

‘Maybe Stokes needs some help’

A three-wicket burst from leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed before lunch left England hoping to gain a significant first-innings lead of their own.

Stokes did not turn to Ahmed for the first eight overs of the afternoon session, a decision that allowed the familiar script of toiling against the tail to unfold as the spotlight turned to the England captain.

“England’s battle against the tail was repeating itself,” Hussain added. “It’s not just today or in this series, but the last two or three years they’ve struggled to get through the tail end.

“Even when England had pace, I think they lost the plot a bit and just went for a bouncer trick. I’m not talking about here (in Rawalpindi) in these circumstances, but even when they’ve had Mark Wood.”

“Sometimes they bowl beautifully to the top order and then as soon as the tail-enders come in they are straight bouncers and get hit all over the place. They lose the plot a bit.

“Stokes may be putting so much energy into his captaincy, in captaincy week, that he may need some help if England are seven or eight behind.

“There are not many senior bowlers in this side, maybe he just needs someone to drag him into the side and explain his reasoning.

‘I was surprised that Rehan Ahmed didn’t start after lunch. A wrist spinner who had just gotten three for lunch. I would have gone with the wrist spinner against the lower order.”

‘England are not out of the game’

Former England captain Michael Atherton admitted that Pakistan held all the cards after two days of play but said Shakeel’s knock gives the tourists hope that Joe Root and Harry Brook can find the runs needed to get them back to get into battle.

“England were very grateful to get away when the umpires called time because they were right under the pump in a very difficult last few overs for them,” Atherton said.

“I wasn’t confident Crawley would survive, while Pope has had a bit of a horror trot on this tour. Duckett’s wicket was the real blow, he’s such a good player of spin.

“Now their two main men on this tour, Root and Brook, are in the crease. They will need a good start tomorrow morning to get them out of this hole.

“England are not out of the game. Pakistan hold all the cards, Pakistan are in a very strong position and England are in a hole. But you can’t come out on the third day of a Test thinking you can’t have a chance.” of winning the game.

“England need to think about how they can put themselves in a position to win the match and the way they can do that is for Root and Brook, who put up 454 runs in the first Test in Multan, to put their heads down , through the new ball, make sure the ball is old and soft, and hit like Saud Shakeel showed you can hit on this surface If they do that, there are runs to be had.

First test: Multan – October 7-11 – England won by one innings and 47 runs

Second test: Multan – October 15-19 – Pakistan won by 152 runs

Third test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28

Watch day three of the Third Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.30am on Saturday, ahead of the match from 5.43am. Stream with NOW