- Team England captain Ben Stokes is considered one of the great all-rounders of the modern cricketing era, having performed spectacularly in the last few years. The fortunes of the England team, especially in Test matches, have dramatically improved with the consistent performance of Stokes, both with the bat and the ball. His appointment as the captain of the Test team only helped in further consolidating Team England’s ascension in the classic format of the game big-time. The combo of Head Coach Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes revolutionized the way Test cricket is played aggressively, always aiming for the win, needs no further elaboration. The attacking tone set from the very first delivery has been the hallmark of Stokes’ Test team’s approach.
PC: Deccan Herald
- The ongoing five-match Test series between India and England has been exhilarating, enthralling, and entertaining right from the beginning. England leads the series 2-1, with Manchester witnessing a draw courtesy of resolute batting displayed by the Indian batters, thwarting the opposition attack for five sessions. That the English bowlers could not breach the solid defences of Indian batters after everything was thrown at them must have rankled the captain no end. Spirited approach to winning the game at any cost only added to the frustration of the home side when the bowlers could not take advantage of the fifth-day pitch showing wear and tear. Little wonder, Stokes was getting increasingly frustrated when things were not going England’s way.
PC: Jagran Josh
- What ensued subsequently was not only churlish, unsportsmanlike, and bordering on a sense of entitlement not befitting the status of a captain, proven performer, and a match-winner. The England skipper wanted to declare India’s innings when it became apparent that the match would not yield a result but a tame draw. England’s captain forgot the rules that the cessation of a Test cannot depend on the needs and desires of one. It must follow the Laws of Cricket, or, to be specific, ICC’s match playing conditions, where Clause 12.7.6 clearly states: “ On the final day, if both captains (the batsmen at the wicket may act for their captain) accept that there is no prospect of either side achieving a victory, they may agree to finish the match after”.
PC: The Quint
- Simply stated, calling off a game must be mutual. The consequent acts of petulance by Stokes and his teammates were downright unsportsmanlike. The match referee should look into it. Such innocence about the game’s laws has happened before. Remember how in Bangalore 1983, Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas and his side left the field, leaving Gavaskar stranded on 86. Umpires had to bring them back. Gavaskar scored his 28th In those pre-Internet days, the incident didn’t degenerate into online scrap. The needless spat from Stokes now sadly took the focus away from a steely display by captain Shubman Gill’s young India. That needs to be roundly applauded. With the series 2-1 in England’s favour, the Oval should see a cracker of a fifth Test.
