Stokes Calls India Series Fair Result, Praises Thrilling Cricket

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has voiced his thoughts on the recently concluded Test series against India, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Despite the disappointment of not securing a series victory, Stokes acknowledged the high caliber of cricket displayed by both teams.

Stokes felt that series was a great advertisement for Test cricket © Getty

Following India's dramatic six-run win in the fifth Test at The Oval, Stokes admitted that a drawn series was a fair reflection of the contest. However, he also expressed his frustration at England's inability to clinch the win in a closely fought encounter.

A Series of Close Calls

"The series as a whole, even before this game, saw all four games go to five days," Stokes stated. "This one again, and it's been toe-to-toe for 25 days. Two very good teams have thrown everything at each other, left nothing out there. From a cricket fan's point of view, 2-2 is probably fair. Obviously, we're disappointed now to have not got the result that we wanted to give us a series win, so there's obviously that disappointment, a little bit of frustration there as well from everyone."

Missing the final Test due to a shoulder injury, the England skipper emphasized the series' significance in promoting Test cricket. He said, "As a massive advocate of this format and Test Cricket as a whole, this has certainly been one of those series that can hopefully keep that narrative around Test Cricket is dying."

Brook's Century Hailed

Stokes specifically lauded Harry Brook's century, which had fueled England's hopes of chasing down a target of 374. Brook (111) and Joe Root (105) forged a 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket, propelling England past 300 on Day 4 and placing the hosts in a commanding position. However, India mounted a remarkable comeback, leaving England at 339/6 at Stumps, with rain forcing an early close and the hosts needing 35 runs on the final day.

"Obviously 380 (374) was a very large total to try and chase down, but as the game got deeper and deeper, the way that the wicket was playing completely changed from Day 1 and Day 2," Stokes explained. "We knew that if any of our lads were to get in, then that was going to give us a good chance. Harry got us into that position by playing in a particular way, putting the Indian bowlers under immense pressure to take them away from being able to consistently bowl the areas that they wanted to bowl."

Defending Brook's Dismissal

Brook's dismissal, attempting a shot over cover against Akash Deep, drew some criticism, but Stokes defended his teammate. "I'm sure everyone was applauding him when he brought up his 100 in the way that he did. Some of the shots he played were unbelievable, so yeah, the dismissal and the way that he got out was a shot that we've seen a lot of him do in that innings, which I'm sure was getting a lot of praise."

Woakes' Bravery Commended

The England captain also commended the bravery of Chris Woakes, who batted at No. 11 despite a shoulder injury, highlighting the dedication displayed by players on both sides. "Unbelievable, but it was never going to be a question for him to go out there. Obviously, he's in a lot of discomfort, even running between the wickets there... Again, that just goes back to how much energy and effort has been put into the series by both teams."

Admiration for Siraj

Stokes acknowledged the consistent pressure exerted by Mohammed Siraj, stating, "I've always had great respect and admiration for Mohammed Siraj as a competitor. He just keeps coming and coming. You know that he's always going to be in the fight with you... I've always had a lot of admiration and respect for the way that Mohammed Siraj goes about his cricket. What he does and how he takes it on. Fair play to him."

Series Compared to 2023 Ashes

Reflecting on the series' place among those he has participated in, Stokes drew parallels with the 2023 Ashes. "It's been a pretty special one to be a part of. It's been full of ups and downs, ebbs and flows throughout every game... We had a similar situation here in '23 with the Ashes... That was 2-2, this was 2-2. It's been awesome to be a part of. Obviously there is still a lot of disappointment. But for the game, for the wider game, obviously we want to constantly be promoting the game. This series has been great for that."