England Captain Ben Stokes Lauds Opening Duo After Record Chase Against India

Ben Stokes has lauded 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 magnificent 149 earned him the spotlight, Stokes emphasized the significance of Crawley's 65 in establishing a dynamic and complementary presence at the top of the order.

England's openers set the stage for a remarkable win. © Getty

"When chasing 370, a strong start is essential. Minimizing early wicket losses is vital, and the way Duckett and Crawley approached the game was immense," Stokes commented.

He further elaborated on the synergy between the two batsmen: "Zak's innings was equally important. They complement each other perfectly – a left-hander and a right-hander, one tall, one not. This makes it difficult for bowlers to settle in. When they get going, it can be a nightmare for the opposition. Duckett scored 149, but Crawley's 65 was crucial. He managed the situation brilliantly, allowing Duckett to apply pressure. Their opening partnership has been outstanding for us in recent years."

Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja, particularly his audacious use of the reverse sweep, impressed everyone. Stokes regards him as one of the best players of spin in the world, especially when employing that shot. "I spoke to him during the tea break," Stokes revealed. "He's one of the best at reverse sweeping and an exceptional player of spin, especially on challenging surfaces."

Stokes even sought advice from Duckett mid-innings to refine his own strategy against spin. "I asked him for suggestions on how to improve my chances. I felt like I needed to either go forward or back and manipulate the ball on the leg side."

"I decided to go in with a clear plan and use the reverse sweep. It was a difficult condition, but I remained clear and confident in what I needed to do to put pressure on the close-in fielders."

This victory marked the sixth time under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum that England successfully chased down a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes believes their simple and relaxed approach is key to these remarkable achievements.

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

"The atmosphere in the dressing room is crucial when chasing totals like this. The players need to go out there and do their jobs. Maintaining a calm and relaxed environment is essential for their mindset when facing pressure in the middle."

"Our plan was simple: bat out the remaining overs and we would win the game due to the ground's quick scoring nature. The scoring rate has been over four an over, even without teams really pushing, except for Rishabh Pant. It's a very quick-scoring ground."