England Captain Stokes Hails Openers' Crucial Partnership in Record Chase Against India

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has praised the opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley following their remarkable run chase against India at Headingley. The duo's impressive 188-run stand laid a solid foundation for England's successful pursuit of 371 runs in the fourth innings.

While Duckett garnered significant attention for his match-winning 149, Stokes emphasized Crawley's contribution of 65 runs, recognizing its importance in establishing a disruptive and complementary dynamic at the top of the batting order.

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

"Chasing 370, you always aim for a strong start," Stokes stated. "Minimizing early wicket losses is crucial, and the manner in which Zak and Ben approached the game at the top of the order was particularly significant."

He further added, "Zak's contribution was immense. Their styles complement each other perfectly. The left-hand, right-hand combination, coupled with their contrasting sizes, makes it challenging for bowlers to settle in. When they both get going, it becomes a nightmare for the opposition to find any rhythm. While Duckett scored 149, Zak's 65 was equally vital. He assessed the situation expertly, recognizing when to put pressure back on the opposition. Their opening partnership has been consistently excellent over the past couple of years."

Stokes highlighted Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day, particularly his confident use of the reverse sweep. He acknowledged Duckett as one of the world's best players of spin, especially renowned for his execution of that particular shot. "I spoke to him during the tea break," Stokes revealed. "He's among the best at reverse sweeping and a fantastic player of spin, especially on difficult surfaces."

Stokes even sought Duckett's advice during his own innings, seeking insights on how to counter the spin effectively. "I asked him for his perspective on how I could improve my approach," Stokes explained. "I was looking for ways to either get forward or back and manipulate the ball on the leg side."

He continued, "I decided to go in with a clear game plan, incorporating reverse sweeps. While the conditions were challenging, I focused on maintaining clarity and confidence in my approach to put pressure on the close-in fielders."

Under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, this marks the sixth instance of England successfully chasing a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes attributes their success to a simple and relaxed approach.

"We maintain a simple mindset," Stokes explained. "Everyone understands the objective of cricket: to score one more run than the opposition. We try to keep things as simple and calm as possible."

He emphasized the importance of a relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room when chasing significant totals. "The atmosphere in the dressing room is crucial. The players have a job to do, and maintaining a calm, relaxed environment is essential for their mindset when they're out in the middle, facing the pressures of the situation."

Stokes concluded, "The plan was simple: bat out the remaining overs and we would win, given the scoring potential of the ground. The scoring rate has consistently been high, even without teams taking excessive risks. It's simply a very quick-scoring ground."