Ben Stokes performs down one hundredth Take a look at landmark

Stokes will turn out to be the sixteenth England cricketer to function in 100 or extra Exams when he leads the group within the third Take a look at in opposition to 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 Exams, however was as an alternative centered on the larger problem at hand.

“Milestones are what they’re. I’ve at all times loved enjoying in opposition to India due to the competition, the theatre it brings,” he mentioned, whereas replying to a question on his one hundredth Take a look at match.

The India-England contest has been a detailed one to date. The guests received the opening Take a look at 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 Take a look at in Rajkot, Stokes mentioned that he doesn’t wish 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 are going to come into it. (I) do not wish to have too many preconceived concepts about pitches, however you do should have some form of thought which informs the XI you decide,” the all-rounder mentioned.

Throughout the media interplay, Stokes additionally praised Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who received the second Exams 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 believe everybody has to go their very own approach of not making an attempt to take care of Bumrah however we do have to attain runs off him as properly and that is what we’ll attempt to do.

“However when that does not work, you simply have to provide credit score to the bowler and Jasprit’s been excellent the primary two video games. We have all acquired our personal processes in opposition to each single bowler and there is no group approach of enjoying anybody. However as we at all times attempt to can we’ll be making an attempt to maintain the main focus 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 your complete collection, Rahul is out of motion because the first Take a look at as a consequence of a quadriceps damage.

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

He additionally wished Kohli properly and added, “I want Virat with all the pieces that is going round and all our properly needs from the group. You need the very best gamers enjoying and he’s one in every of them. Hopefully he can be again on the sector very quickly.”

In the meantime, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is on the verge of finishing 500 Take a look at scalps. He wants just one wicket to achieve the landmark in Rajkot.

–By A Cricket Correspondent