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

Ben Stokes has praised the opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, acknowledging their crucial role in England's successful pursuit of a 371-run target against India at Headingley. While Duckett's impressive 149 grabbed headlines, Stokes emphasized the significance of Crawley's 65, highlighting the complementary and disruptive dynamic they created at the top of the order.

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

Stokes stated, "Chasing 370, a good start is essential. Minimizing early wickets is crucial, and the way he [Duckett] and Zak approached the game was massive."

He further added, "Zak's contribution was also immense. Their styles complement each other perfectly. One is left-handed, the other right-handed; one is tall, the other not so much. This makes it incredibly difficult for bowlers to settle in. Establishing a rhythm becomes a nightmare for the opposition when they are both in form for an extended period. While Ducky scored 149, Zak's 65 was equally vital. He assessed the situation brilliantly, recognizing Ducky's momentum and effectively applying pressure back onto the bowlers. Their opening partnership has been consistently outstanding over the past couple of years."

Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day, particularly his audacious use of the reverse sweep, caught Stokes' attention. He lauded Duckett as one of the best players of spin in the world, especially praising his execution of that particular shot. Stokes revealed, "I spoke to him during the tea or rain break. He's among the best at reverse sweeping and a superb player of spin, particularly on challenging surfaces."

Stokes even sought Duckett's advice during his own innings, seeking insights on how to counter spin. "I asked him for suggestions on how I could improve my approach. When you're out there, you feel like you're either moving forward or back, trying to manipulate the leg side."

He continued, "I went in with a clear plan and the reverse sweep as an option. It's a tough condition, but I focused on being clear and confident in my approach to unsettle the close-in fielders."

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

"We [he and McCullum] are a very simple-minded pair when it comes to cricket. Ultimately, it's about scoring one more run than the opposition. We try to keep everything as simple and calm as possible," Stokes explained.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room during such chases is crucial. The players have specific roles to perform, and maintaining a calm, relaxed environment helps them to approach the pressure situation with the right mindset."

Stokes concluded, "The equation was simple yesterday: if we bat out the remaining overs, we win, given the scoring rate of this ground. Even without any team really pushing for runs, the scoring rate has been over four an over, except perhaps for Rishabh Pant. It's simply a very quick-scoring ground."