Ben Stokes put up a memorable performance as he put his body on the line to lead England to a memorable 22-run victory at the Lord’s Cricket Ground on Monday (July 14) to give the home team a vital 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series against India. Ben Stokes bowled a spell for the ages as India failed to chase 192 in the fourth innings and finished with figures of 3-48 after bowling a stunning 24 overs.
The England captain Ben Stokes dismissed Akash Deep, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah to clinch the Player of the Match (POTM) award.
The 34-year-old Ben Stokes was lauded as he bowled a nine-over spell in the first session and then followed it up with another over spell in the second session. Ben Stokes Player of the Match award is his fourth in a Test match at Lord’s, making him the first player to achieve the feat and breaking a world record, which he shared with Glenn McGrath, Joe Root, and Stuart Broad.
England captain Ben Stokes has warned India against any aggressive behaviour, stating that the hosts won’t take a step back in that case. For the unversed, things got heated in the middle during the Lord’s Test when the Indian players, especially skipper Shubman Gill, confronted England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett for wasting time on the third day in the final session.
In the aftermath of it, England came out aggressively, defending their target of 193 runs successfully to take a 2-1 lead in the series. However, Ben Stokes also stated that the home team won’t start sledging while also conceding that the series has been immensely competitive so far and that pressure is also there on both teams.
Ben Stokes sends a strong warning to Team India ahead of 4th Test at Manchester
England captain Ben Stokes on Tuesday made it clear that his team will reciprocate any aggression from Indian players in the fourth Test starting Wednesday, suggesting that the intense verbal exchanges in the series will continue. England lead the five-match series 2-1, but players such as India skipper Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Stokes, and Harry Brook have not shied away from engaging in animated conversations with the opposition.
“I don’t think it’s one of those things where we’re going to necessarily just go out and start at (sledging). I don’t think either team’s really looked to do that. I think there’s always going to be a moment in a Test series where something does heat up. It’s a massive series and there’s a lot of pressure on both teams to perform,” Ben Stokes was quoted as saying to reporters ahead of the match at Old Trafford.
While it might have been an organic reaction to a particular situation, Ben Stokes clearly hinted that his team will not take aggression from the rival camp lightly.
“As I said, we won’t purposely start it because that would distract us from what we need to do on the field. But we won’t take a backward step if the opposition tries to confront us. And we won’t hesitate to respond. I think this applies to most teams. The series has been great to play and watch, with quality cricket over all five days of each Test,” he added.
The third day of the third Test at Lord’s saw tensions escalate when Crawley and Duckett employed delaying tactics, prompting angry reactions from Siraj and Gill.
Shubman Gill pointed his fingers at Ben Duckett, who responded similarly. Ben Stokes defended the incident.
“That night at Lord’s when Zak and Ben started things off, we had the advantage of bowling last to win the match. We threw everything we could at India, using both our skills and our energy in the field,” he said.
Ben Stokes acknowledged that the aggression from the Indian players added adrenaline to his side.
“Harry Brook said, Brendon McCullum said, you guys have been too nice. Do you agree? Yes, potentially. It was a nice moment when the team discussed it, and everyone agreed to respond to the opposition’s aggressive tactics,” said the all-rounder.
While India are in a must-win situation, England are in a favourable position, having taken the series lead at Lord’s. They will aim to win the rubber at a venue where India hasn’t played a Test since 2014.
“Good win for us at Lord’s. Nice break. Hope we continue the momentum and put in the same effort and energy,” Ben Stokes said.
An injury-plagued India may need to adjust its strategy in the penultimate Test, aiming to end a winless streak at Old Trafford and level the series in what has been a compelling contest so far.
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