England Captain Stokes Praises Opening Duo's Role in Stunning Chase Against India

Ben Stokes has lauded the opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, recognizing their pivotal role in setting the stage for England's remarkable fourth-innings chase of 371 against India at Headingley. While Duckett's magnificent 149 stole the headlines, Stokes emphasized the significance of Crawley's 65, which provided a disruptive and complementary presence at the top of the order.

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

"When you're chasing 370, a good start is essential. Minimizing early wickets is crucial, and the way Zak and Ducky approached it was huge," Stokes said.

Stokes further elaborated on the dynamics between the two batsmen: "Zak's innings was massive. They complement each other brilliantly. Left-hand, right-hand combination, different statures – it disrupts the bowlers. It's hard for bowlers to settle when they get going, and finding rhythm becomes a nightmare. Ducky's 149 was fantastic, but Zak's 65 was equally vital. He managed the situation expertly, allowing Ducky to apply pressure. Their opening partnership has been outstanding for us."

Duckett's Mastery Against Spin

Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day was particularly noteworthy, especially his fearless deployment of the reverse sweep. Stokes acknowledged him as one of the best players of spin in the world, especially regarding that shot. "I even spoke to him during a break about it. He's one of the best in the world at reverse sweeping, and he's a brilliant player of spin, especially on tricky surfaces."

Stokes even sought advice from Duckett during his own innings. "I asked him about potential options to improve my chances. I felt like I needed to either get forward or back to manipulate the leg side. I went in with a clear game plan, including the reverse sweep. It was a difficult condition, but I remained clear and confident in what I needed to do."

A Relaxed Approach to Chases

This victory marked the sixth time under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum that England has successfully chased a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes attributes this success to their simple and relaxed approach.

"We're a very simple-minded pair when it comes to cricket. Everyone knows it's about scoring one more run than the opposition. We try to keep things as simple and calm as possible," Stokes explained.

He emphasized the importance of a relaxed dressing room environment during chases. "The atmosphere in the dressing room is crucial. The lads have jobs to do, and maintaining a calm, relaxed vibe helps them go out there with the right mindset, despite the pressure. The plan yesterday was simple: bat out the overs, and we'd win because of the ground's scoring speed. The scoring rate has been over four an over anyway. It's just a very quick-scoring ground."