Michael Atherton has lavished praise on Ben Stokes after his bold declaration in the first Test against Pakistan, stating he will "go down as one of the most significant England captains we've had".
Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have repeatedly said they are prepared to lose in order to have a chance at winning and have absolutely no interest in draws. And the pair have so far delivered on their promise, with England doing everything they possibly can to try and extract a result from a lifeless Rawalpindi pitch.
They have scored big runs very quickly, been inventive in the field and made a risky declaration which means all results are possible on what could be a fascinating final day. And Atherton has lauded Stokes' bravery and the way he and McCullum have decided to approach Test cricket.
