A cursory glance at the scorecard and you might wonder why Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match for the third Test at Lord’s.

Scores of 33 and 44. Two wickets in India’s first innings, three in their second. No hundreds like Joe Root and KL Rahul. No twin fifties like fellow all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. No five-for like Jasprit Bumrah.

But anyone who watched will tell you that Stokes was perhaps the only option to be standing there at the presentation with the medal around his neck, talking to Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton, speaking of the “dark places” this needle-heavy match had taken him to.

He just didn’t have the energy to celebrate with us at the end because he threw everything into it. That shows what a brilliant leader he is, not just tactically but in how he leads by example with everything he does. It was a monumental effort.

Like so many times in the past, when England needed someone, that someone was Stokes.

When England needed someone to stitch a partnership with Root on day one after two quick wickets had left the hosts tottering on 172-4, that someone was Stokes.

When England needed someone to end a hundred-plus stand between Rahul and Rishabh Pant in India’s first innings, that someone was Stokes – a direct hit from cover running out the latter.

When England needed someone to end a fifty-plus stand between Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy, that someone was Stokes – Reddy caught behind off a vicious ball that leapt up off the surface during a tireless seven-over spell from the home captain.

When England needed someone to stitch a partnership with Root on day four after Harry Brook’s much-criticised dismissal attempting to sweep India fast bowler Akash Deep had left the hosts teetering on 87-4, that someone was Stokes.

When England needed someone to remove the silky Rahul – the batter seen as key if the tourists were to complete a chase of 193 on the final day – that someone was Stokes, during a 9.2 over spell. Nip-backer into the pad, successful review, lbw, India 81-6.

And when England needed someone to snap a frustrating ninth-wicket stand between Jadeja and Bumrah, that someone was Stokes, during a 10-over spell this time. Bouncing out Bumrah as the tailender’s firm resistance was finally broken.

Stokes’ big decisions and big bowling spells pay off

Stokes, once again, had the golden touch, including with his decisions.

He could have started with Brydon Carse on the fifth morning after that bowler had pinned Shubman Gill and Karun Nair lbw the previous evening but he went with Jofra Archer, a man who had not quite got it right the night before, straying too full.

That call was in part down to a gutfeel that Archer, on the six-year anniversary of his World Cup-winning Super Over against New Zealand on the same ground, would “do something special”.

He did. Uprooting Pant’s off stump and producing a one-handed caught-and-bowled to remove Washington Sundar, who had declared the day before that India would probably win just after lunch. England did win, just after tea, with Stokes exhausted.

“I am not going to lie. I cannot wait to lie in my bed for four days,” Stokes said after his marathon bowling efforts on the final day took his number of overs in the Test to 44. It was only when he left the field that “a whole new level of tiredness hit”.

“I’ve been in games before when I’ve been given the ball to try and bowl the team to victory,” he said. “But now, as captain, adding on decision-making around bowling changes, field placings. Obviously there’s a physical element but it shouldn’t be underestimated how the emotional and mental tiredness gets you as well.”

I spent five years as captain trying to stop him bowling spells like that and it didn’t work so now he’s captain I have no chance! If he feels he is the man for the job, he will take that upon himself and that is inspiring for the rest of the group. Everyone follows.

Stokes has promised to look after his body after coming back from hamstring injury sustained last December and eventually withdrew himself from the attack on Saturday once a message from Brendon McCullum had been relayed by bowling consultant Tim Southee – but there was no prising the ball out of his hand on Monday.

“I thought I had taken myself to some pretty dark places before but today was… If bowling to win a Test for your country doesn’t get you excited, get you up, then I don’t know what does. The game was on the line and nothing was going to stop me bowling.”

We feel you, Ben. Now go and have a lie down.

Tempers flare in fiery third Test

To be fair, I think we all need a lie down after the Lord’s Test, one which came to life following the spicy final seven minutes on the third evening when Zak Crawley’s blatant – and hilarious, unless you were Indian – timewasting got everyone all hot and bothered.

There was finger-wagging, heated words, a fired-up India captain Shubman Gill telling Crawley to grow some balls (the joke doing the rounds on social media was that had Crawley obliged then Gill would promptly have asked for those balls to be changed).

Tensions spilled over into the following day with the always combative Mohammed Siraj fined for his vibrant send-off to Ben Duckett that included the two bumping shoulders.

Then Deep tried Crawley-esque delaying tactics deep into day four, calling for the physio as the England star had done 24 hours earlier.

But the nightwatchman could not delay things long enough and was soon bowled off stump by Stokes. Yep, Stokes again.

More beef was probably to be expected on the final day, considering what had gone before and what was at stake, and it duly arrived when a ball-watching Jadeja accidentally ran into bowler Carse. Neither player was happy, tempers flared again.

But who was there to ensure things didn’t get out of hand? Stokes.

Peacemaker then, difference-maker throughout the Test.

Watch the fourth Test between England and India, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Wednesday July 23 (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.

England vs India – results and schedule

England lead five-match series 2-1 (all games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports)