Stokes Lauds England's Openers for Setting Up Thrilling Chase Against India

Ben Stokes has lauded the outstanding opening partnership between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, acknowledging their pivotal role in England's remarkable fourth-innings chase of 371 against India at Headingley. While Duckett's impressive 149 earned him widespread acclaim, Stokes emphasized that Crawley's contribution of 65 was equally crucial in establishing a disruptive and complementary dynamic at the top of the order.

The openers laid the foundation for England's memorable win. © Getty

"When you're chasing 370, a strong start is essential. Minimizing early wicket losses is vital, but the manner in which Zak Crawley approached the game alongside Ben Duckett was particularly significant," Stokes commented.

He further added, "The way Zak played was huge. They complement each other incredibly well. The left-hand, right-hand combination, with one being a giant and the other not, makes it difficult for bowlers to settle. Establishing any rhythm becomes challenging. When they are both in for an extended period, it can be a nightmare for the opposition. While Duckett scored 149, Zak's 65 was equally important. He managed the situation effectively, recognizing that Duckett was scoring freely and maintained the pressure on the opposition. Their opening partnership has been very, very good for us over the last couple of years."

Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day was particularly noteworthy, especially his bold use of the reverse sweep from the rough. Stokes recognized him as one of the world's best players of spin, highlighting his proficiency in executing that particular shot. "I spoke to him during the tea or rain break," Stokes revealed. "He is one of the best in the world at reverse sweeping and a fantastic player of spin, particularly on tricky surfaces."

Stokes even sought Duckett's advice during his own innings, seeking insights on how to improve his approach against spin. "I had a brief discussion with him about potential strategies to enhance my chances. When you're in that situation, you feel like you need to either move forward or back and try to manipulate the leg side."

He continued, "Adopting a clear game plan and utilizing the reverse sweep was my approach. It was a challenging condition, but I focused on maintaining clarity and confidence in my actions to put pressure on the close-in fielders."

This victory marked the sixth time under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum that England had successfully chased down a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes believes that their ability to maintain simplicity and composure is fundamental to these remarkable achievements.

"I think we're just... We're a very simple-minded pair, me and Baz, I think, when it comes to cricket. Obviously, everyone knows what cricket's about. It's about scoring one more run than the opposition. And when you strip it all back, that's what it's like. So we just try to keep everything as simple, calm as we possibly can," Stokes explained.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room is crucial when chasing down totals like that. The players have specific roles to fulfill, and maintaining a calm and relaxed environment is essential for their mindset when they are out in the middle, facing the pressures of the situation."

"It was pretty simple yesterday. It was if we bat the overs that is left in this game, we will win this game just because of how quick this ground is at scoring. I don't know what I've read, but it's probably been over four an over [scoring rate] anyway without any team really doing anything... bar Rishabh [Pant]. It's just a very, very quick scoring ground."