London: After captaining England to a stunning 22-run win over India in an engrossing Test match at the Lord’s, skipper Ben Stokes commented that he sensed Jofra Archer would do something special and win the game for the hosts.
On day five of the third Test, Archer, making a comeback to Test cricket, and Stokes inspired England to an incredible victory by picking three wickets each to bowl out a defiant India for 170 and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series here on Monday.
“Part of the reason why I went with Archer this morning was (because of today being six years to the day since England’s World Cup win at the Lord’s). Jof played a big role in that, and I just had one of those feelings that he would do something special. He cracked the game open with his wickets.”
“I had this gut feeling something was going to happen. Sometimes your gut works, I guess. It is awesome to have him back. Every time it gets announced on the tannoy that he is coming on to bowl, the ground erupts.”
“When he turns it on, starts running in, and the speeds come up, the feeling in the game just changes. It was an amazing effort from him. I’m sure it was a tough week for him, but, sheesh, he got some crucial wickets for us. It’s great to have him back,” said Stokes in the post-match presentation ceremony.
Stokes was named Player of the Match for his monumental spells of 2-63 and 3-48, apart from knocks of 44 and 33, apart from inflicting a match-defining run out of Rishabh Pant. On day five, while bowling a staggering 24 overs, he claimed the huge wicket of KL Rahul before getting rid of Jasprit Bumrah.
“I thought I had taken myself to some pretty dark places before, but today was… If bowling to win a Test for your country doesn’t get you up, get you excited, then I don’t know what does. With what was on the line…I was cooked yesterday, but the game was on the line, and nothing was going to stop me bowling. (Shoaib) Bashir, it was written in the stars to take that last wicket, an absolute warrior,” he said.
“Being an all-rounder, I’m an allrounder, I get four opportunities to influence the game. But if one thing doesn’t click, you have an opportunity with another, and that’s how I look at it. I would like to be scoring more runs, but when I have my whites on and am out on the field, my thoughts go to bowling. You don’t really have a chance to worry,” he added.
Speaking about his run-out of Pant, Stokes said, “I was in the middle of the spell, so I was pretty pumped up. Important position at extra cover, and in my peripheral I saw Rishabh stutter. One of the great feelings, when you let go of the ball and know it’s going to hit the stumps.”
With the next Test to start in Manchester on July 23, Stokes signed off by saying he now has ample time to rest. “It was always going to be the way: two very good teams going at it. We went toe to toe again. I am not going to lie – I cannot wait to lie in my bed for four days and then be raring to go for Manchester.”
