England Captain Stokes Credits Opening Pair for Record 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 importance of Crawley's contribution of 65 runs, which provided a disruptive and complementary dynamic at the top of the batting order.

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

"When chasing 370, a strong start is essential. Minimizing early wicket losses is crucial, and the way Zak and Ben Duckett approached the game at the top of the order was particularly significant," Stokes commented.

He further elaborated on the synergy between the two batsmen: "Zak's innings was huge. They complement each other exceptionally well. A left-hand, right-hand combination makes it difficult for bowlers to settle. When they get going, it's a nightmare for the opposition to find any rhythm. While Duckett scored 149, Zak's 65 was equally vital. He managed the situation well, recognizing Duckett's momentum and putting pressure back on the bowlers. Their opening partnership has been outstanding for us over the past couple of years."

Stokes also highlighted Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day, particularly his confident use of the reverse sweep. He regards Duckett as one of the best players of spin in the world, especially due to his proficiency with that particular shot. "He's one of the best in the world at doing reverse sweeps, and he's a fantastic player of spin, especially on tricky surfaces," Stokes added.

The England captain even sought advice from Duckett during his own innings, aiming to improve his options against spin. "I had a brief conversation with him about potential strategies to improve my chances. I was looking for ways to either get forward or back and manipulate the ball on the leg side."

Stokes explained his strategy: "I went in with a clear game plan, incorporating reverse sweeps. It was a difficult condition, but I remained clear and confident in what I needed to do to try and unsettle the close-in fielders."

This victory marked the sixth time under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum that England has successfully chased a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes believes their ability to maintain simplicity and a relaxed atmosphere is key to these remarkable achievements.

"Me and Baz are a simple-minded pair when it comes to cricket. We strip it back to the core, which is scoring one more run than the opposition. We try to keep everything as simple and calm as possible," Stokes stated.

He emphasized the importance of the dressing room environment during chases: "The atmosphere in the dressing room is vital because the lads have a job to do. Maintaining a calm, relaxed vibe is crucial to their mindset when they're out there facing the pressure."

Stokes concluded by highlighting the scoring-friendly nature of the Headingley pitch: "The plan yesterday was simple: if we batted the remaining overs, we would win because of the ground's quick scoring rate. Even without any team really pushing, the scoring rate has been over four an over. It's a very quick-scoring ground."