Visakhapatnam. England’s spin attack was being considered weak against the Indian team but they proved everyone wrong. England captain Ben Stokes, who defeated India by 28 runs in the first match of the five-match series, had said before the tour that the players who have been selected in the team. They are capable of giving us the best chance to defeat India on its own soil.
Tom Hartley, in his very first Test, played an important role in India’s memorable 28-run win by taking seven wickets in India’s second innings. In the first Test played in Hyderabad, the England team took the field with only one fast bowler Mark Wood and this strategy was successful.
Stokes had said in an interview to ‘Geo Cinema’ before the opening match of the five-match series against India, “I think sometimes inexperience is exaggerated. However, there is no doubt that an experienced player feels more comfortable especially in these conditions.
He said, “The spinners we have selected for this tour, we feel will give us the best chance of defeating India.” For me, it is not just about the spinners. It’s about understanding the talent they have and giving them the freedom to go out there and express that talent. We want them to concentrate on their game without worrying too much about the result.
Before this series, there was talk in the England camp about the inexperience of spin bowlers but Stokes said that he does not pay much attention to such things. He said, “As a bowler you have to take wickets. As a batsman your job is to score runs. Thinking about it more than that makes things complicated. I am removing fear and anxiety about the result from the minds of the players.
,
Tags: ben stokes, India vs England
FIRST PUBLISHED: January 31, 2024, 06:16 IST