‘There was a bit of me that almost wanted India to get 450’- Ben Stokes on England’s approach in Test cricket
Under the leadership of Ben Stokes, England are setting new benchmarks in Test Cricket. They have outplayed the Indian team in the rescheduled fifth Test match of the five-match Test series. England’s team went through a lot of highs and lows in the five days of the match. But finally, they managed to have the last laugh against Jasprit Bumrah’s men.
Many cricket experts and critics are impressed with the approach of this English team. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have transformed the team in such a manner that now the opponents will have fear before going into the third innings of a Test match. England’s team has successively won the last four matches against the finalists of the World Test Championship, New Zealand and India.
Ben Stokes has also talked about his approach and the team’s mindset as well. He also told in a joking manner that he wished for India should score some more runs to test the hosts a bit more in the fourth innings of the match.
The third innings now have become fourth innings for the opponents – Ben Stokes
“Don’t know where it [the line] is,” he told Sky Sports. There was a bit of me that almost wanted them to get 450, to see what we’d do,” Stokes was quoted as saying to Sky Sports after winning the match against India.
“I said yesterday after we finished the day’s play. Told to look at how teams will be viewing us at the moment. It will let them understand that the third innings now has become the fourth innings. Because they have to concentrate on how we’re going to play, and they’re worried about that. So, to be in that position as a team. Being feared before they’ve even finished their innings is an unbelievable place to be in. Teams don’t know how to play the third innings, especially when they’ve got a lead,” the 31-year-old added later.
Later on, the English skipper also talked about the pressure of international sport a team feels before going into any match.
“I don’t think everyone can understand what’s happened here. When you have clarity in what you want to do and what you want to achieve and think about bigger than results. It makes everything a lot easier. It takes away the external pressure of what international sports can throw at you. When you know what you want to go out there and do. It makes everything a lot more simple,” Stokes concluded.
