News Analysis India

Tag: Ben Stokes

  • 'This Is Clownery..': Social Media Furious After Ben Stokes' Ball To Dismiss Rohit Sharma Hailed By British Media As 'The Best In Series' | cricket news

    Ben Stokes decided it was enough waiting for the first ball in eight months. Wickets were hard to come by in Dharamsala and despite no nod from the team's physio, Stokes felt he needed to lead from the front and bowl a few overs. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill's partnership had already pushed England on back foot on day 2 of the fifth and last Test. England were desperate for a breakthrough and not many had expected that Stokes would provide that so soon.

    Also Read | After Rohit Sharma's 2nd Test Hundred Vs England, Geoffrey Boycott's Controversial Statement Is Viral Again

    The first delivery in 251 days from Stokes landed outside off at good length. It held its line before shaping away ever-so-slightly to hit the off. Rohit could not do much about it. That was a peach from one of cricket's greatest all-rounders. Rohit had a smile on his face as he walked back. He knew he had been done by an excellent delivery and he needed not regret the dismissal.

    Stokes was happy but he stopped himself from celebrating it in an animated way. However, his teammates were maybe impressed. Mark Wood had his hand off his head and a big shock on his face. Stokes bowled the first ball in 251 days and it worked. It cleaned up a batter who had faced over 160 deliveries and never looked like getting out.

    The social media was soon abuzz with reactions to Stokes. While many hailed Stokes for being a great leader and risking his injury to come and deliver the goods, many went on to call the delivery the best in the series. BCC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew went on to compare Stokes first-ball wicket to that Ian Botham's first-ball wicket after he came back from 63-day drugs suspension.

    “Ben Stokes provided an Ian Botham moment of scene-stealing drama to announce his return…,” wrote Telegraph's Nick Hoult.

    Stokes, who is going through a lean patch as batsman, began to get massive praise for this one ball. This was not appreciated by many Indian fans on social media, who reminded the world that Bumrah had bowled a screamer to Ollie Pope not long ago. Another Twitter user and a fan said that sports website talkSport called Stokes' delivery to Rohit as the ball of the series. That user ranted, “Last piece of rant for today..TalkSport called Stokes ball as the best ball of the series. I mean..Bumrah literally had stokes cleaned up in Hyderabad and then Pope in Vizag. These are just two of so many I can put across here. This is beyond delusion..this is clownery.”

    Check some reactions to Stokes receiving praise for this delivery to Rohit below:

    Last piece of rant for today..TalkSport called Stokes ball as the best ball of the series.

    I mean..Bumrah literally had stokes cleaned up in Hyderabad and then Pope in Vizag. These are just two of so many I can put across here.

    This is beyond delusion..this is clownery — Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) March 8, 2024

    IND bowler delivers a world class spell, runs through the middle of the ENG order Press: Bazball blah blah blah

    Ben Stokes bowls 5 Ok overs and gets one ball to misbehave off the pitch

    Press: THE GREATEST BALL OF THE SERIES! WHO WRITES HIS SCRIPTS!

    — cricketingview (@cricketingview) March 8, 2024

    Man for this insane PR Ben Stokes deserves the National Creator award Modiji… https://t.co/PUDigPjc5n — Varun (@wizardrincewind) March 9, 2024

    India are in a commanding position in the fifth Test, leading by over 255 runs on the morning of Day 3. The hosts are already leading 3-1 in the series and a 4-1 result looks almost certain now.

  • India vs England 3rd Test Rajkot Pitch Report: How Will SCA Stadium Surface Play? Also Check Weather Forecast, Stats And Record | cricket news

    The five-match Test series between India and England is beautifully poised at the moment with both teams winning one Test each. England surprised India in the first Test, registering a come-from-behind win over the hosts to take 1-0 lead. That loss was a wake up call for India and they did well to make a strong comeback in Visakhapatnam to make it 1-1. After two Tests, the teams went for a short break to spend some time with their families and have now landed in Rajkot where the third Test is to be played.

    Also Read | India Vs England 3rd Test Probable Playing 11s: Axar Patel Or Ravindra Jadeja? Who Will Play In Rajkot?

    What happened when last time India played England in Rajkot?

    England played a Test at Rajkot on their tour of India in 2016 and had dominated the proceedings. Winning the toss, the visitors had opted to bat first and put on 547 in the first innings thanks to hundreds from Joe Root and Ben Stokes. India’s Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara struck hundreds to guide India to 488 in first innings. England captain Alastair Cook hit 130 in the 2nd innings as England declared at 260 for 3. India found themselves in a spot when they were 5 down for 118 but thanks to Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, they managed to take the match to a draw.

    What happened in India’s last Test here?

    The ground has hosted just 2 Tests. While the first Test was a draw, India won the second Test played at Saurashtra Cricket Assocation (SCA) in Rajkot in 2018 vs West Indies. It was d dominant win where India posted 649 for 9 declared in the first innings as Prithvi Shaw got a hundred while Kohli too finished with 139 runs in the first innings. Windies batters struggled on this pitch as spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav got most of the wickets. India, in the end, registered a win by one innings and 272 runs.

    Is that you, @HomeOfCricket? ,

    __ #INDvENG _______ | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/Kourr3DRy6— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 13, 2024

    About the pitch in Rajkot

    If the numbers of the two Tests which have been played here are to go by, one gets a clue that this is a batting surface. A kind of pitch that will suit India more. Remember that India are befitted more when they play on pitches that support batters for first two days and then begin to deteriorate to assist the spinners. Rank turners, on the other hand, are only going to bring England more and more into the match.

    The SCA stadium surface will have runs and for the first time in the series, we might big scores of 500 and 600 runs being achieved in an innings. The pitch will definitely have spice for the spinners and pacers will also enjoy bowling here, but only after the pitch has been used for two days. Teams winning the toss would love to bat first here as chasing in the fourth innings could turn out to be tricky.

    Want to see the pitch for the 3rd Test in Rajkot? Go on, then. It’s just been sprayed with some liquid – not sure what – so looks a little darker (damper) than it may later. pic.twitter.com/ut2TlwooKc

    — George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) February 13, 2024 Rajkot weather from February 15 to 19

    Good news on weather front as Rajkot is not likely to see a single drop of rain on all five days of the match, starting February 15. As per weather apps, the temperature will be between 32 degree to 36 degree celcius and rain will not halt. or stop playing on any day.

    SCS stadium Rajkot: Stats and record

    Two Test matches played so far in Rajkot, out of which India have won one while one match ended in a draw. Visiting teams have never won any Test here. Teams batting first have won a Test.

    In 2018, during a cricket match between India and West Indies, India achieved the highest team total in Rajkot which is 649/9 (d), while West Indies recorded the lowest team total of 181 all out against India.

    The average 1st innings score in Rajkot is 593, with the 2nd innings averaging 334, the 3rd innings averaging 228, and the 4th innings averaging 172.

    Notably, Virat Kohli of India has scored the highest individual score of 139 against West Indies in 2018. The best bowling innings is credited to Kuldeep Yadav of India, who claimed figures of 5 for 57 against West Indies in 2018.

    Meanwhile, the best bowling match performance was achieved by Adil Rashid of England, who took 7 for 158 against India in 2016.

  • IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Brendon McCullum Warns India, Says England Won’t Be Afraid To Play All Spinners If…

    Brendon McCullum, known for introducing Bazball cricket to England cricket as head coach, says that his team will not be afraid to play an all-spin attack of the pitches and conditions demand such thing.