Ben Stokes plays down 100th Test landmark

Stokes will grow to be the sixteenth England cricketer to characteristic in 100 or extra Checks when he leads the crew within the third Check towards India in Rajkot, which stars on Thursday. February 15. Within the pre-match press convention, Stokes didn’t learn an excessive amount of into enjoying 100 Checks, however was as an alternative centered on the larger problem at hand.

“Milestones are what they’re. I’ve at all times loved enjoying towards India due to the competition, the theatre it brings,” he stated, whereas replying to a question on his 100th Test match.

The India-England contest has been an in depth one to this point. The guests gained the opening Check in Hyderabad by 28 runs, whereas India fought again in Visakhapatnam to win the second match by 106 runs.

Requested concerning the floor for the third Check in Rajkot, Stokes stated that he doesn’t need to have any preconceived notions on the floor.

“You look down and there is a few cracks that meet up. Solely time will inform if they’ll come into it. (I) do not need to have too many preconceived concepts about pitches, however you do must have some kind of concept which informs the XI you decide,” the all-rounder stated.

In the course of the media interplay, Stokes additionally praised Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who gained the second Checks for the hosts with a sensational spell of bowling, claiming six wickets within the first innings and three within the second.

Stating that England don’t have any particular plans in place to sort out Bumrah, Stokes commented, “Jasprit Bumrah is an unbelievable bowler. He is confirmed that for a really very long time and has carried out rather well within the two video games. I feel everybody has to go their very own method of not attempting to cope with Bumrah however we do have to attain runs off him as nicely and that is what we’ll attempt to do.

“However when that does not work, you simply have to offer credit score to the bowler and Jasprit’s been excellent the primary two video games. We have all obtained our personal processes towards each single bowler and there isn’t any crew method of enjoying anybody. However as we at all times attempt to can we’ll be attempting to maintain the main target round us,” he added.

Stokes additionally dismissed the evaluation that Virat Kohli and Ok L Rahul’s absence from the Indian squad offers benefit to England. Whereas Kohli has pulled out of the complete collection, Rahul is out of motion for the reason that first Check on account of a quadriceps harm.

“KL sustained an harm within the first sport and that has saved him out. I stated the opposite day that Virat not being right here, I do not prefer it getting used as a profit to us or a drawback to India. There may be some particular causes as to why he isn’t enjoying on this collection and it ought to be left to that versus a bonus or drawback to any aspect,” the England captain opined.

He additionally wished Kohli nicely and added, “I want Virat with every thing that is going round and all our nicely needs from the crew. You need the perfect gamers enjoying and he’s one among them. Hopefully he shall be again on the sector very quickly.”

In the meantime, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is on the verge of finishing 500 Check scalps. He wants just one wicket to succeed in the landmark in Rajkot.

–By A Cricket Correspondent