England Captain Stokes Credits Openers for Epic Chase Against India

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has praised the opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley for their crucial role in setting up England's remarkable fourth-innings chase of 371 against India at Headingley.

While Duckett's magnificent 149 grabbed the headlines, Stokes emphasized that Crawley's contribution of 65 was equally significant. He highlighted how their contrasting styles created a disruptive and effective presence at the top of the order.

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

"When chasing 370, a good start is essential. Minimizing early wickets is crucial, and the way Duckett and Crawley approached the game at the top of the order was massive," Stokes commented.

He further elaborated on their complementary partnership: "Zak's innings was also huge. They complement each other brilliantly. Left-hand, right-hand combination, one tall, one not so much. It's tough for bowlers to settle when they're both firing. Finding rhythm becomes a nightmare for the opposition when they're in for a long time. Duckett scored 149, but Crawley's 65 was incredibly important. He managed the situation well, knowing Duckett was attacking, and kept the pressure on the opposition. That opening partnership has been outstanding for us over the past few years."

Duckett's Mastery Against Spin

Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day was particularly noteworthy, especially his bold use of the reverse sweep. Stokes regards him as one of the best players of spin in the world, praising his execution of that particular shot. "He's one of the best in the world at reverse sweeping, and he's a fantastic player of spin, particularly on challenging surfaces," Stokes stated.

Stokes even sought advice from Duckett during his own innings, seeking to improve his options against spin. "I asked him for his thoughts on what I could do to improve my chances. I felt like I was either going forward or back, trying to manipulate the leg side."

He added, "Having a clear plan and using the reverse sweep was what I went out there with. It's a tough condition, but being clear and confident in what I needed to do to put pressure on the close-in fielders was key."

Simplicity and Calmness: The Key to England's Success

This victory marked the sixth time under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum that England has successfully chased down a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes attributes their success to their ability to keep things simple and maintain a relaxed atmosphere.

"Me and Baz [Brendon McCullum] are a very simple-minded pair when it comes to cricket. 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 is crucial when chasing down totals. The lads need to go out there and do their jobs. Maintaining a calm and relaxed vibe in the dressing room is vital for the mindset of the players when they're out in the middle under pressure."

Stokes concluded, "The plan yesterday was simple: bat out the remaining overs and we would win, given how quickly this ground scores. The scoring rate has been over four an over anyway. It's just a very, very quick-scoring ground."