England captain Ben Stokes credited his team’s opening duo for their composed and clinical approach during a historic chase against India in the first Test at Headingley. Reflecting on the 371-run target, Stokes emphasised how crucial a confident start was to setting the tone and praised both Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett for their complementary styles and decisive 188-run opening partnership.
England’s win in Leeds was one of their most assured chases, their second-highest in Test cricket history. The hosts approached it with utmost ease.
Ben Duckett’s fluent 149 and Zak Crawley’s solid 65 gave them the launchpad they needed, and despite a few late jitters, England crossed the line with five wickets in hand, handing India a bruising defeat.
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Ben Stokes Praises Ben Duckett-Zak Crawley Combo After Record Chase at Headingley
Speaking after the match, Ben Stokes was effusive in his praise for his openers. He acknowledged how vital it was to avoid early damage when chasing a target of that magnitude, and how Duckett and Crawley rose to the occasion.
"Chasing 370 like we were, you always want to get off to a good start. The least amount of wickets that you lose early on is obviously crucial, but the way he went about it with Zak and then played the game at the top of that order for us was huge in particular," said Stokes as quoted after England's victory at Headingley.
Stokes highlighted how Crawley and Duckett disrupted the bowlers’ rhythm and made it hard for India to settle.
"I think the way that Zak played as well was huge. They complement each other so, so well. Left hand, right hand, one's a giant, one's not. So it's very hard for the bowlers to settle in when they both get going. It's hard to find any rhythm. I'm sure you can ask the opposition. It can be a nightmare when they're in for a long period of time. Ducky's got the 149, but I think that 70 [65] as well was so, so important. I thought he led the situation very well, knowing that Ducky was getting away and was able to put the pressure back onto them. That opening partnership for us at the top has been very, very good over the last couple of years," he added.
Stokes also revealed an insightful exchange he had during the tea break. He asked Duckett for advice on playing spin.
"I actually spoke to him when we came off for that tea break, or rain break, whichever one it was. He's one of the best in the world at doing reverse sweeps and he's a fantastic player of spin, in particular on really tricky surfaces. I just had a little word with him about what he thought I could potentially look at to give myself a better chance. When you're in there, you feel like you're either getting forward or getting back and trying to manipulate on the leg side."
As much as tactics matter, Stokes repeatedly returned to the theme of mindset and simplicity. With him and head coach Bredon McCullum at the helm, England have fostered a team culture that embraces clarity, even during seemingly daunting chases.
"I think we're just... We're a very simple-minded pair, me and Baz, I think, when it comes to cricket. Obviously, everyone knows what cricket's about. It's about scoring one more run than the opposition. And when you strip it all back, that's what it's like. So we just try to keep everything as simple, calm as we possibly can."
"When you're chasing down totals like that, how you are in the dressing room is actually very important. You know, because the lads have got jobs to go out there and do. And, you know, keeping the sort of calm, relaxed vibe as much as we can throughout the dressing room is so important to sort of the mindset of how someone is to go out there when you're out there in the middle with the pressures of, you know, that situation in particular," Stokes stated.
The Headingley pitch was always going to favour run-scoring if wickets were preserved. Stokes said the team had a clear plan and knew that batting out the overs would be enough.
"It was pretty simple yesterday. It was if we bat the overs that is left in this game, we will win this game just because of how quick this ground is at scoring. I don't know what I've read, but it's probably been over four an over [scoring rate] anyway without any team really doing anything... bar Rishabh [Pant]. It's just a very, very quick scoring ground," Stokes concluded.
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Next Stop: Edgbaston
The second Test starts on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. England will be full of confidence after what they did in Leeds. Their top-order looks settled, the dressing room is calm, and they will back themselves to go 2-0 up.
India, on the other hand, have a lot to think about. They scored big runs but still lost, which does not happen often. With so much on the line, they will need to regroup quickly and find a way to bounce back.
Also read: Stat Check: Inside Head Coach Gautam Gambhir’s Troubling Test Run After India’s Headingley Defeat
