Joe Root stated that Ben Stokes has always had a predisposition for delivering long spells and that he struggled to get the ball out of his hands even as captain of the England Test team.
The star all-rounder bowled 9.2 overs in the morning session of Day 5 of England’s third Test against India at Lord’s Cricket Ground, followed by another 10 overs in the afternoon. On Day 3, head coach Brendon McCullum had to dispatch England’s pace bowling consultant Tim Southee to tell Stokes to leave the attack. In the end, the talismanic England skipper bowled 44 overs, the most by a bowler in the Lord’s Test.
Root, on the other hand, noted that Stokes is familiar with his physique and praised him for his performance at the Home of Cricket against Shubman Gill and his team, as the hosts won the Test match by 22 runs on Monday, July 14.
“He does not always listen to me. He did not listen to me when I was captain. But, no, he knows what he’s doing and understands where he is physically. “It was an incredible effort,” Root told the BBC.
“He’s really desperate to be the man and get things done. “It took an incredible amount of effort to be able to do that,” said the top England batter.
It’s a great indicator for us going forward. Joe Root
Stokes recently tore his hamstring, and England has expressed concern about his workload management, particularly on the bowling front. However, Root believes Stokes’ ability to bowl long spells is a positive omen for England as they prepare for tough red-ball cricket assignments.
“I was worried that he wouldn’t make it through the game after a few terrible injuries, but he clearly trusts his body now. It’s a great indicator for us going forward. “I mean, that’s back to his best, isn’t it?” Root said.
India
