England Captain Stokes Praises Duckett-Crawley Partnership After Stunning Chase Against India

Ben Stokes, the England captain, has praised the outstanding 188-run opening partnership between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, acknowledging their pivotal role in setting the stage for England's remarkable fourth-innings chase of 371 against India at Headingley. While Duckett's match-winning 149 grabbed headlines, Stokes emphasized the significance of Crawley's 65, highlighting his disruptive and complementary presence at the top of the order.

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

"When chasing 370, a strong start is crucial. Minimizing early wickets is vital, and the way Zak and Ducky approached the game at the top of the order was particularly significant," Stokes commented.

He further elaborated on the dynamic between the two batsmen: "Zak's innings was also immense. They complement each other exceptionally well. The left-hand, right-hand combination, with one being a giant and the other not, makes it incredibly challenging for bowlers to settle. Finding a rhythm becomes difficult, and I'm sure the opposition would agree it can be a nightmare when they are in for a long period of time. While Ducky scored 149, Zak's 65 was equally important. He managed the situation effectively, recognizing Ducky's dominance and applying pressure back on the opposition. Their opening partnership has been outstanding for us over the past few years."

Stokes specifically highlighted Duckett's dominance against Ravindra Jadeja on the final day, particularly his confident use of the reverse sweep. He acknowledged Duckett as one of the world's best players of spin, emphasizing his proficiency with that particular shot. "I spoke to him during the tea or rain break," Stokes revealed. "He's one of the best in the world at executing reverse sweeps and is a fantastic player of spin, especially on challenging surfaces."

Stokes even consulted Duckett for advice during his own innings, seeking insights on how to better tackle the spin attack. "I had a brief discussion with him about potential strategies to improve my chances. When you're out there, you feel like you're either going forward or back, trying to manipulate the leg side."

"Adopting a clear game plan, including the reverse sweep, was my approach. While the conditions were difficult, I focused on being clear and confident in what I needed to do to try and push those close-in fielders back."

This victory marked the sixth time under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum that England successfully chased down a target of 250 or more in the fourth innings. Stokes attributes this success to their ability to maintain simplicity and composure.

"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," Stokes explained.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room is crucial when chasing down totals like this. The lads have a job to do, and maintaining a calm, relaxed vibe helps them to go out there with the right mindset, despite the pressure of the situation.

"Yesterday, the equation was simple: if we batted out the remaining overs, we would win the game because of the ground's quick scoring nature. The scoring rate has been over four an over, even without teams actively pushing for it, except perhaps for Rishabh Pant. It's simply a very quick-scoring ground."