England coach Brendon McCullum has backed under-fire vice-captain Ollie Pope to return to his usual best in the upcoming fifth and final Test versus India, which gets underway on March 7 in Dharamsala. Ben Stokes' deputy has been off-colour since his majestic 196 in the first Test, in Hyderabad, which helped his side take a 1-0 lead before they faltered in the next three Tests. Pope has not even touched the 50-run mark since his daddy hundred and, hence, there are talks regarding his spot being under threat. Amid all this, McCullum has backed the English batter.

Ahead of the Dharamsala Test, McCullum told reporters, "He’s aware of what he needs to do. He obviously bagged them in the last Test and he’s gutted about that but look at the way he was then helping the skipper on the last day and diving around in the field."

McCullum further opined that he was only interested in seeing Pope bring his best to the table, both as a batter and fielder. "That’s the stuff you’re desperate for as a coach, to see people giving it their best regardless of their own performance. He displayed great leadership qualities and that showed where he’s at as a player, member of this team and as a person," the former New Zealand captain stated.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-ashwin-vs-nathan-lyon-england-batter-joe-root-points-out-difference-between-two-great-spinners-696410">R Ashwin vs Nathan Lyon: England batter Joe Root points out difference between two great spinners</a>

Since Pope's struggles, many have pointed out that he has looked shaky at the start. However, McCullum brushed aside all such claims by saying that even greats such as Ricky Ponting and Kevin Pietersen used to take time before settling in. "Look at Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting when they first went out to bat. They were frenetic at the start and everyone’s susceptible when they first go out there. It’s just the way it is.

"But Popey is trying to be as calm as he can be when he goes out there and there’s a period when he needs to grab information from the wicket and get the rhythm of how the game is going," added McCullum.

The fifth and final Test between India and England gets underway on March 7. With the hosts already having an unassailable 3-1 lead, there is still a lot to play for (especially the WTC points) and, hence, Stokes &amp; Co. will be eager to finish off on a high.

England coach Brendon McCullum has backed under-fire vice-captain Ollie Pope to return to his usual best in the upcoming fifth and final Test versus India, which gets underway on March 7 in Dharamsala.

England coach Brendon McCullum has backed under-fire vice-captain Ollie Pope to return to his usual best in the upcoming fifth and final Test versus India, which gets underway on March 7 in Dharamsala. Ben Stokes' deputy has been off-colour since his majestic 196 in the first Test, in Hyderabad, which helped his side take a 1-0 lead before they faltered in the next three Tests. Pope has not even touched the 50-run mark since his daddy hundred and, hence, there are talks regarding his spot being under threat. Amid all this, McCullum has backed the English batter. Ahead of the Dharamsala Test, McCullum told reporters, "He’s aware of what he needs to do. He obviously bagged them in the last Test and he’s gutted about that but look at the way he was then helping the skipper on the last day and diving around in the field." McCullum further opined that he was only interested in seeing Pope bring his best to the table, both as a batter and fielder. "That’s the stuff you’re desperate for as a coach, to see people giving it their best regardless of their own performance. He displayed great leadership qualities and that showed where he’s at as a player, member of this team and as a person," the former New Zealand captain stated. Also read: R Ashwin vs Nathan Lyon: England batter Joe Root points out difference between two great spinners Since Pope's struggles, many have pointed out that he has looked shaky at the start. However, McCullum brushed aside all such claims by saying that even greats such as Ricky Ponting and Kevin Pietersen used to take time before settling in. "Look at Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting when they first went out to bat. They were frenetic at the start and everyone’s susceptible when they first go out there. It’s just the way it is. "But Popey is trying to be as calm as he can be when he goes out there and there’s a period when he needs to grab information from the wicket and get the rhythm of how the game is going," added McCullum. The fifth and final Test between India and England gets underway on March 7. With the hosts already having an unassailable 3-1 lead, there is still a lot to play for (especially the WTC points) and, hence, Stokes & Co. will be eager to finish off on a high.

IND vs ENG: 'He knows what he needs to do' - McCullum backs under-fire Pope ahead of Dharamsala Test

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the brink of surpassing England coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes for most Test sixes in a calendar year. The Indian batter has already hit 23 sixes in the current year (2024) while Stokes had hit 26 in 2022 and McCullum had smashed 33 maximums in 2014.

India are currently playing a five-Test series against England at home and the last Test will be played from March 7, offering an opportunity for Jaiswal to create history. The batter has been in sublime form in the series with 655 runs to his name in eight innings of the previous four Tests.&nbsp;

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Jaiswal has scored these runs at a stunning average of 93.57 to go with four centuries and two fifties as well. Notably, both of his hundreds have been double tons as well - 209 in first innings of the second Test in Vizag and 2014 not out in second innings of the third Test in Rajkot. His batting exploits have ensured India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.

Kishan rejected BCCI's offer to play in England Tests

Keeper-batter KS Bharat was out of touch in the first two matches, failing with the bat in hand. The selectors were keen on replacing him with Ishan Kishan in the playing XI for the remaining games, but with Ishan refusing to accept the offer, as per reports.&nbsp;

Following the South Africa ODIs late last year, Ishan informed BCCI of its decision to remain unavailable for selection, citing mental fatigue. The BCCI, soon after, released a mandate asking him and Shreyas Iyer to make themselves available for their Ranji Trophy teams. Amidst the backlash Ishan and Shreyas Iyer received following declining to appear for their respective state sides in the Ranji Trophy, the BCCI released them from the latest list of centrally contracted players.&nbsp;

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the brink of surpassing England coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes for most Test sixes in a calendar year. The Indian batter has already hit 23 sixes in the current year (2024) while Stokes had hit 26 in 2022 and McCullum had smashed 33 maximums in 2014.

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the brink of surpassing England coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes for most Test sixes in a calendar year. The Indian batter has already hit 23 sixes in the current year (2024) while Stokes had hit 26 in 2022 and McCullum had smashed 33 maximums in 2014. India are currently playing a five-Test series against England at home and the last Test will be played from March 7, offering an opportunity for Jaiswal to create history. The batter has been in sublime form in the series with 655 runs to his name in eight innings of the previous four Tests. Also Read: AUS vs NZ, 1st Test: Nathan Lyon admits 'frustration' over Australia's collapse in second innings Jaiswal has scored these runs at a stunning average of 93.57 to go with four centuries and two fifties as well. Notably, both of his hundreds have been double tons as well - 209 in first innings of the second Test in Vizag and 2014 not out in second innings of the third Test in Rajkot. His batting exploits have ensured India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. Kishan rejected BCCI's offer to play in England Tests Keeper-batter KS Bharat was out of touch in the first two matches, failing with the bat in hand. The selectors were keen on replacing him with Ishan Kishan in the playing XI for the remaining games, but with Ishan refusing to accept the offer, as per reports. Following the South Africa ODIs late last year, Ishan informed BCCI of its decision to remain unavailable for selection, citing mental fatigue. The BCCI, soon after, released a mandate asking him and Shreyas Iyer to make themselves available for their Ranji Trophy teams. Amidst the backlash Ishan and Shreyas Iyer received following declining to appear for their respective state sides in the Ranji Trophy, the BCCI released them from the latest list of centrally contracted players.

IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal closes in on THIS record of England coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). The day's play started with India being 40-0 and moved to 84 for no loss before English spinners chipped in with regular breakthroughs. However, Jurel (who scored a magnificent 90 in the first innings) and Gill remained unbeaten to take India to a stunning five-wicket win. With the victory, the hosts have&nbsp;clinched the five-match series with&nbsp;an unassailable 3-1 lead.

India started the day on a confident note with skipper Rohit Sharma (55) looking in his elements and constantly guiding his in-form partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (37). The duo added 84 for the opening stand but Joe Root, Shoaib Bashir (who took a five-fer in the first essay) and Tom Hartley made use of the turn and low bounce on offer to dent India. At 120-5, the home team&nbsp;had a job in hand but Jurel and Gill got together and resorted to smart cricket -- playing with soft hands, stepping outside the crease against the spinners&nbsp;and running well between the wickets --&nbsp;to take India to a win.&nbsp;

The Ranchi Test&nbsp;proved to be a hard-fought battle from the word go. Opting to bat first, Ben Stokes-led England got off to a flier on Day 1 before being reduced to 112-5, thanks to debutant pacer Akash Deep's three successive strikes. Nonetheless, Joe Root's 122* helped England post 353. In reply, India were on the backfoot at stumps on Day 2, reeling at 177-7 (despite Jaiswal's 73). The next morning saw India's fightback, led by young keeper-batter Jurel who scored a brilliant 90. The 23-year-old's knock, which included a 76-run eighth-wicket stand with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (28), helped the hosts get close to England's 353 as they managed 307.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-dhruv-jurels-90-a-delightful-saga-on-raising-the-tail-against-the-odds-693668">IND vs ENG: Dhruv Jurel's 90 - a delightful saga on raising the tail against the odds</a>

In their second innings, England were well-placed at 110-3 with Zak Crawley leading the&nbsp;charge. However, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav tested the English batters throughout with the former taking 5 for 51 to dismiss the opposition for a paltry 145. Jurel also contributed from&nbsp;behind the stumps with his proactiveness and keeping skills.&nbsp;England fell flat on a tricky surface -- with a tinge of low bounce&nbsp;throughout -- to set up only a 192-run target. The total wasn't daunting but the visitors made India toil hard for every run before Gill and Jurel's unbeaten stand.

Notably, this was the first time when India won a contest chasing over 150 at home since early 2013 (versus Australia -- chasing 155).&nbsp;India have clinched&nbsp;the series 3-1 to remain unbeaten in home Tests since late 2012-13 (when Alastair Cook-led England beat them 2-1).

The fifth and final Test will commence in Dharamsala on March 7.

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26).

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). The day's play started with India being 40-0 and moved to 84 for no loss before English spinners chipped in with regular breakthroughs. However, Jurel (who scored a magnificent 90 in the first innings) and Gill remained unbeaten to take India to a stunning five-wicket win. With the victory, the hosts have clinched the five-match series with an unassailable 3-1 lead. India started the day on a confident note with skipper Rohit Sharma (55) looking in his elements and constantly guiding his in-form partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (37). The duo added 84 for the opening stand but Joe Root, Shoaib Bashir (who took a five-fer in the first essay) and Tom Hartley made use of the turn and low bounce on offer to dent India. At 120-5, the home team had a job in hand but Jurel and Gill got together and resorted to smart cricket -- playing with soft hands, stepping outside the crease against the spinners and running well between the wickets -- to take India to a win. The Ranchi Test proved to be a hard-fought battle from the word go. Opting to bat first, Ben Stokes-led England got off to a flier on Day 1 before being reduced to 112-5, thanks to debutant pacer Akash Deep's three successive strikes. Nonetheless, Joe Root's 122* helped England post 353. In reply, India were on the backfoot at stumps on Day 2, reeling at 177-7 (despite Jaiswal's 73). The next morning saw India's fightback, led by young keeper-batter Jurel who scored a brilliant 90. The 23-year-old's knock, which included a 76-run eighth-wicket stand with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (28), helped the hosts get close to England's 353 as they managed 307. Also read: IND vs ENG: Dhruv Jurel's 90 - a delightful saga on raising the tail against the odds In their second innings, England were well-placed at 110-3 with Zak Crawley leading the charge. However, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav tested the English batters throughout with the former taking 5 for 51 to dismiss the opposition for a paltry 145. Jurel also contributed from behind the stumps with his proactiveness and keeping skills. England fell flat on a tricky surface -- with a tinge of low bounce throughout -- to set up only a 192-run target. The total wasn't daunting but the visitors made India toil hard for every run before Gill and Jurel's unbeaten stand. Notably, this was the first time when India won a contest chasing over 150 at home since early 2013 (versus Australia -- chasing 155). India have clinched the series 3-1 to remain unbeaten in home Tests since late 2012-13 (when Alastair Cook-led England beat them 2-1). The fifth and final Test will commence in Dharamsala on March 7.

Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi as hosts clinch five-match series

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 120-5 before Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39*) took India home with an unbeaten 72-run sixth-wicket stand. With this win, India clinched the five-match series 3-1. The final Test will&nbsp;be held in Dharamsala early next month.

Throughout the Ranchi Test, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel stood tall with the keeping gloves and the bat. He was proactive behind the stumps, as he held onto some brilliant catches, and scored a gutsy 90 in the first essay before being unbeaten in India's run-chase. Thus, England captain Ben Stokes lauded Jurel and labelled him as 'one of the talents' of the series.

Responding to WION correspondent in the post-match presser, Stokes said, "I think both innings he has played very well. His keeping was also something to watch over there. I think Ben Foakes has a little crush on him there (smiles). There has been some talents in this series and Jurel is one of them. His score brought India closer to our score (in the first innings). "

Stokes credited Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav for their 76-run eighth-wicket stand in the first innings, which ensured England only get a 46-run lead. Further, he also highlighted how the pitch fared throughout the contest.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-india-captain-rohit-sharma-underlines-importance-of-home-series-win-after-ranchi-test-694003">IND vs ENG: India captain Rohit Sharma underlines importance of home series win after Ranchi Test</a>

The 32-year-old stated, "We found it tough to get anything out of&nbsp;the wicket at that time (during Kuldeep-Jurel stand). That was sort of the&nbsp;theme of the game.&nbsp;It was little bit easier in the morning and tougher in the evening. Even Kuldeep did a great job as well. If we could have got a lead of over 70-100, who knows the game might have been different. We might have defended it or they might have still chased 240 given how that partnership was going (Gill-Jurel's unbroken stand). Eventually, we did everything we could."

Talking about the Test match, England opted to bat and scored 353, thanks to Joe Root's 122*. In reply, India were tottering at 177-7 before Jurel's 90, and Kuldeep's&nbsp;28, took India close to England's 353 (managing 307). The home side gave only a slender 46-run lead, when it could have been anything over 100. Later, riding on&nbsp;R Ashwin's 5 for 51 India dismissed England for a paltry 145 in their second essay. The pitch had a tinge of low bounce all throughout which tested batters from both sides. However,&nbsp;India held their nerves in pursuit of 192 and rode on half-centuries from captain Rohit Sharma (55) and Gill (52) to chase down the score and win the series.

For his all-round show, Jurel was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match in Ranchi.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 120-5 before Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39*) took India home with an unbeaten 72-run sixth-wicket stand.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 120-5 before Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39*) took India home with an unbeaten 72-run sixth-wicket stand. With this win, India clinched the five-match series 3-1. The final Test will be held in Dharamsala early next month. Throughout the Ranchi Test, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel stood tall with the keeping gloves and the bat. He was proactive behind the stumps, as he held onto some brilliant catches, and scored a gutsy 90 in the first essay before being unbeaten in India's run-chase. Thus, England captain Ben Stokes lauded Jurel and labelled him as 'one of the talents' of the series. Responding to WION correspondent in the post-match presser, Stokes said, "I think both innings he has played very well. His keeping was also something to watch over there. I think Ben Foakes has a little crush on him there (smiles). There has been some talents in this series and Jurel is one of them. His score brought India closer to our score (in the first innings). " Stokes credited Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav for their 76-run eighth-wicket stand in the first innings, which ensured England only get a 46-run lead. Further, he also highlighted how the pitch fared throughout the contest. Also read: IND vs ENG: India captain Rohit Sharma underlines importance of home series win after Ranchi Test The 32-year-old stated, "We found it tough to get anything out of the wicket at that time (during Kuldeep-Jurel stand). That was sort of the theme of the game. It was little bit easier in the morning and tougher in the evening. Even Kuldeep did a great job as well. If we could have got a lead of over 70-100, who knows the game might have been different. We might have defended it or they might have still chased 240 given how that partnership was going (Gill-Jurel's unbroken stand). Eventually, we did everything we could." Talking about the Test match, England opted to bat and scored 353, thanks to Joe Root's 122*. In reply, India were tottering at 177-7 before Jurel's 90, and Kuldeep's 28, took India close to England's 353 (managing 307). The home side gave only a slender 46-run lead, when it could have been anything over 100. Later, riding on R Ashwin's 5 for 51 India dismissed England for a paltry 145 in their second essay. The pitch had a tinge of low bounce all throughout which tested batters from both sides. However, India held their nerves in pursuit of 192 and rode on half-centuries from captain Rohit Sharma (55) and Gill (52) to chase down the score and win the series. For his all-round show, Jurel was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match in Ranchi.

IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes labels Dhruv Jurel as one of the 'talents' of the series after Ranchi Test

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26). India achieved the 192-run target with five wickets in hand shortly before tea on day 4 and now lead the five-match series 3-1. England did manage to give India a bit of scare with three wickets in the first session and&nbsp;two post lunch but the effort fell short in the end.

"It was a great Test match, the scoreboard doesn't give enough credit to the game as a whole, the ebbs and flows. So much credit to our spinners, being exposed to a situation like that at the start of their careers. I couldn't be more proud," said Stokes to the broadcaster after the match.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jurel-gill-and-spinners-help-india-beat-england-in-4th-test-in-ranchi-hosts-clinch-five-match-series-693960">Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi, hosts clinch five-match series</a>

The English skipper noted that England were good in patches during the course of Test but acknowledged that it was hard to bat against Indian spin trio on day 3 (Feb 25).

"We've been good in periods, yesterday with the bat was incredibly hard against Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep. We didn't think the game would get any better, and we've seen that today," said Stokes.

Speaking about Joe Root, who scored a magnificent 122 not out in the first innings in an approach juxtaposed of England's Bazball, Stokes said: "Root, incredible knock, the criticism wasn't very fair, class is permanent."

Apart from Root, Shoaib Bashir, playing his second Test, also starred for England, albeit with ball. The 20-year-old spinner who took a five-wicket haul in India's first innings was praised by Stokes for his efforts.

"What a journey, very proud of him. You come into series and you want to win, but my message has been consistent. It's about the input, we don't worry about output," added Stokes.

The final Test&nbsp;of the series starts from March 7 in Dharamsala.

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26).

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26). India achieved the 192-run target with five wickets in hand shortly before tea on day 4 and now lead the five-match series 3-1. England did manage to give India a bit of scare with three wickets in the first session and two post lunch but the effort fell short in the end. "It was a great Test match, the scoreboard doesn't give enough credit to the game as a whole, the ebbs and flows. So much credit to our spinners, being exposed to a situation like that at the start of their careers. I couldn't be more proud," said Stokes to the broadcaster after the match. Also Read: Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi, hosts clinch five-match series The English skipper noted that England were good in patches during the course of Test but acknowledged that it was hard to bat against Indian spin trio on day 3 (Feb 25). "We've been good in periods, yesterday with the bat was incredibly hard against Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep. We didn't think the game would get any better, and we've seen that today," said Stokes. Speaking about Joe Root, who scored a magnificent 122 not out in the first innings in an approach juxtaposed of England's Bazball, Stokes said: "Root, incredible knock, the criticism wasn't very fair, class is permanent." Apart from Root, Shoaib Bashir, playing his second Test, also starred for England, albeit with ball. The 20-year-old spinner who took a five-wicket haul in India's first innings was praised by Stokes for his efforts. "What a journey, very proud of him. You come into series and you want to win, but my message has been consistent. It's about the input, we don't worry about output," added Stokes. The final Test of the series starts from March 7 in Dharamsala.

IND vs ENG: 'Couldn't be more proud...,' says England skipper Ben Stokes after losing Test series to India

Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test versus India, England captain Ben Stokes has been left stunned with the&nbsp;pitch for the Ranchi Test. The match gets underway on Friday (Feb 23) at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi and Stokes claimed that he has 'never seen something like this before' while talking about the pitch on offer.

On the eve of the fourth Test, Stokes told BBC Sport, "I've never seen something like that before. I have got no idea so I don't know what could happen. If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India. It looked green and grassy up in the changing rooms, but then you go out there it looked different: very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it."

On the other hand, vice-captain Ollie Pope pointed out a significant feature of the pitch, noting an abundance of rough patches outside the "right-hander's off stump" which will likely assist India's premier spinner R Ashwin.&nbsp;"It kind of looks like one half is good and then there's a lot of platey cracks at the other. At the minute, it looks like batting from the far end, there's rough outside the right-hander's off-stump. For example, Ashwin's going to bowl from that end from over-the-wicket because he might want to bowl it into the rough," Pope was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-ab-de-villiers-blames-bazball-for-england-batter-joe-roots-dip-in-form-692461">IND vs ENG: AB de Villiers blames Bazball for England batter Joe Root's dip in form</a>

He added, "And from this end, it's outside the left-hander's off-stump. That's how we see it at the minute. I think we will see what happens tomorrow after the Indian team has looked at the wicket, then make a decision from there."

England trail the five-match series 1-2&nbsp;after a whopping 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. Stokes opined on the huge loss, saying that England have left behind the Rajkot drubbing and are looking forward to the remaining two games to win the series 3-2. In this regard, Stokes claimed, "It's sport. You get plaudits when it goes well and not when it doesn't. It's part of it, I've been around long enough to know that, but we crack on. Defeats like last week can have a bigger effect on the team that it needs to be. But I'm comfortable with how I addressed that. I know it's the next game that counts. Me, as a person, and I'm sure every player in the dressing room has reflected in some way on that game. But in terms of the result, no."

For India, the Rohit Sharma-led side will look to attain an unassailable lead in the series with a win in Ranchi.

Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test versus India, England captain Ben Stokes has been left stunned with the pitch for the Ranchi Test. The match gets underway on Friday (Feb 23) at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi and Stokes claimed that he has 'never seen something like this before' while talking about the pitch on offer.

Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test versus India, England captain Ben Stokes has been left stunned with the pitch for the Ranchi Test. The match gets underway on Friday (Feb 23) at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi and Stokes claimed that he has 'never seen something like this before' while talking about the pitch on offer. On the eve of the fourth Test, Stokes told BBC Sport, "I've never seen something like that before. I have got no idea so I don't know what could happen. If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India. It looked green and grassy up in the changing rooms, but then you go out there it looked different: very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it." On the other hand, vice-captain Ollie Pope pointed out a significant feature of the pitch, noting an abundance of rough patches outside the "right-hander's off stump" which will likely assist India's premier spinner R Ashwin. "It kind of looks like one half is good and then there's a lot of platey cracks at the other. At the minute, it looks like batting from the far end, there's rough outside the right-hander's off-stump. For example, Ashwin's going to bowl from that end from over-the-wicket because he might want to bowl it into the rough," Pope was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. Also read: IND vs ENG: AB de Villiers blames Bazball for England batter Joe Root's dip in form He added, "And from this end, it's outside the left-hander's off-stump. That's how we see it at the minute. I think we will see what happens tomorrow after the Indian team has looked at the wicket, then make a decision from there." England trail the five-match series 1-2 after a whopping 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. Stokes opined on the huge loss, saying that England have left behind the Rajkot drubbing and are looking forward to the remaining two games to win the series 3-2. In this regard, Stokes claimed, "It's sport. You get plaudits when it goes well and not when it doesn't. It's part of it, I've been around long enough to know that, but we crack on. Defeats like last week can have a bigger effect on the team that it needs to be. But I'm comfortable with how I addressed that. I know it's the next game that counts. Me, as a person, and I'm sure every player in the dressing room has reflected in some way on that game. But in terms of the result, no." For India, the Rohit Sharma-led side will look to attain an unassailable lead in the series with a win in Ranchi.

'Never seen something like that': Ben Stokes stunned by Ranchi pitch before India vs England 4th Test

Former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain has urged Ben Stokes &amp; Co. to play 'smart cricket' and adapt well in the upcoming fourth and penultimate Test versus India in Ranchi. The Ranchi Test kicks off on Friday (Feb 23) with the visitors in a do-or-die spot as they have conceded a 2-1 lead to India following the Rajkot drubbing.

Hussain mentioned that England cannot just rely on their Bazball approach and schooled them that Test cricket is all about adapting and playing smartly. In his coloum for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "You can't just fall back on the old 'this is the way we play' mantra, because Test cricket is all about adapting to conditions - especially in India, where the nature of the pitch can change almost overnight during the course of a five-day Test. If you get in, you need to make it count. Look at the first three Tests: England won the first after Ollie Pope's magnificent 196, before India hit back with successive double-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and 131 from Rohit Sharma."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-worry-about-jasprit-bumrah-he-is-sa-legend-dale-steyn-on-pacers-rest-for-ranchi-test-692589">'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test</a>

In addition, Hussain cited England's use of the short-ball technique in last year's home Ashes as an example of how well they recovered to draw the five-match series&nbsp;2-2&nbsp;after falling behind in the opening two Tests. Stokes &amp; Co. fell behind 0-2 in the series but staged a remarkable comeback eventually. Thus, Hussain feels the visitors have to prove to the critics that Bazball is all about smart cricket.

"They've done it before. Think back to the Ashes, where they became better at playing the short ball after that hook-happy collapse at Lord's. Bazball, as they keep telling us, is about smart cricket, not headless cricket. They need to prove that point again now," opined Hussain.

The ex-cricketer also opened up on Jonny Bairstow's struggles in the ongoing series, where he has managed only 102 runs in six innings at 26. "For Bairstow, the key - as it is for so many visiting batters in India - is to get through those first 20-30 balls when it's turning and Ravindra Jadeja is spearing them into your pads, making it tough to sweep. If he can do that, he can be destructive, but he has to give himself a chance. Perhaps the fact that he has a point to prove will bring out the best in him," Hussain added.

Former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain has urged Ben Stokes & Co. to play 'smart cricket' and adapt well in the upcoming fourth and penultimate Test versus India in Ranchi.

Former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain has urged Ben Stokes & Co. to play 'smart cricket' and adapt well in the upcoming fourth and penultimate Test versus India in Ranchi. The Ranchi Test kicks off on Friday (Feb 23) with the visitors in a do-or-die spot as they have conceded a 2-1 lead to India following the Rajkot drubbing. Hussain mentioned that England cannot just rely on their Bazball approach and schooled them that Test cricket is all about adapting and playing smartly. In his coloum for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "You can't just fall back on the old 'this is the way we play' mantra, because Test cricket is all about adapting to conditions - especially in India, where the nature of the pitch can change almost overnight during the course of a five-day Test. If you get in, you need to make it count. Look at the first three Tests: England won the first after Ollie Pope's magnificent 196, before India hit back with successive double-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and 131 from Rohit Sharma." Also read: 'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test In addition, Hussain cited England's use of the short-ball technique in last year's home Ashes as an example of how well they recovered to draw the five-match series 2-2 after falling behind in the opening two Tests. Stokes & Co. fell behind 0-2 in the series but staged a remarkable comeback eventually. Thus, Hussain feels the visitors have to prove to the critics that Bazball is all about smart cricket. "They've done it before. Think back to the Ashes, where they became better at playing the short ball after that hook-happy collapse at Lord's. Bazball, as they keep telling us, is about smart cricket, not headless cricket. They need to prove that point again now," opined Hussain. The ex-cricketer also opened up on Jonny Bairstow's struggles in the ongoing series, where he has managed only 102 runs in six innings at 26. "For Bairstow, the key - as it is for so many visiting batters in India - is to get through those first 20-30 balls when it's turning and Ravindra Jadeja is spearing them into your pads, making it tough to sweep. If he can do that, he can be destructive, but he has to give himself a chance. Perhaps the fact that he has a point to prove will bring out the best in him," Hussain added.

'It is all about adapting' - Nasser Hussain asks Ben Stokes-led England to play 'smart cricket' in Ranchi Test

England’s dream of continuing the unbeaten Test series run under skipper Ben Stokes is facing a serious challenge after the visitors were humbled by India on Sunday (Feb 18) in the Rajkot Test. Stokes, who has yet to show his all-round skills with the ball, is now likely to take matters into his own hands as he prepares for the do-or-die contest&nbsp;in Ranchi. According to England head coach Brendon McCullum, the English World Cup-winning all-rounder is fit and could bowl if he's legitimately able to during the remaining two Tests.

<h2>McCullum on Stokes bowling</h2>

"Well, it's good that he's actually getting into a state where he thinks he might bowl," McCullum said. "But Ben is clever; he's really clever as well. He won't bowl unless he thinks he's legitimately able to bowl. The problem would be if he starts getting into a spell and then he can't get out of the spell. So we'll see what unfolds. If he does get that bit between his teeth, then let's see where the danger lies there and try and pull him away from it. But it's a good sign."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-does-the-india-england-test-series-give-05-ashes-vibes-691755">Explained | Why does the India-England Test series give 2005 Ashes vibes?</a>

<h2>Why England are missing Stokes’ bowling?</h2>

England have so far utilised only two speedsters during the series with Mark Wood and James Anderson shuffling the pack. However, the visitors have missed the services of Stokes with the ball whenever either of the bowlers are to be rested during the spell. In the opening two matches, England played with only one speedster before bringing in both Wood and Anderson for the Rajkot Test. So far in the series, Stokes has scored 180 runs in six innings and has averaged 30 overall in the series.

Stokes will next lead England in the Ranchi Test which starts on Friday (Feb 23) knowing a defeat would crush their dreams of winning a Test series on Indian soil. Currently, hosts India lead the five-match series 2-1 having won the Rajkot Test by a record 434 runs. India&nbsp;earlier won the Vizag contest by 106 runs to level the series.&nbsp;England’s sole victory in the series came in the opening Test in Hyderabad when Ollie Pope led the team’s charge with a brilliant 196-run knock.

England’s dream of continuing the unbeaten Test series run under skipper Ben Stokes is facing a serious challenge after the visitors were humbled by India on Sunday (Feb 18) in the Rajkot Test.

England’s dream of continuing the unbeaten Test series run under skipper Ben Stokes is facing a serious challenge after the visitors were humbled by India on Sunday (Feb 18) in the Rajkot Test. Stokes, who has yet to show his all-round skills with the ball, is now likely to take matters into his own hands as he prepares for the do-or-die contest in Ranchi. According to England head coach Brendon McCullum, the English World Cup-winning all-rounder is fit and could bowl if he's legitimately able to during the remaining two Tests. McCullum on Stokes bowling "Well, it's good that he's actually getting into a state where he thinks he might bowl," McCullum said. "But Ben is clever; he's really clever as well. He won't bowl unless he thinks he's legitimately able to bowl. The problem would be if he starts getting into a spell and then he can't get out of the spell. So we'll see what unfolds. If he does get that bit between his teeth, then let's see where the danger lies there and try and pull him away from it. But it's a good sign." ALSO READ | Explained | Why does the India-England Test series give 2005 Ashes vibes? Why England are missing Stokes’ bowling? England have so far utilised only two speedsters during the series with Mark Wood and James Anderson shuffling the pack. However, the visitors have missed the services of Stokes with the ball whenever either of the bowlers are to be rested during the spell. In the opening two matches, England played with only one speedster before bringing in both Wood and Anderson for the Rajkot Test. So far in the series, Stokes has scored 180 runs in six innings and has averaged 30 overall in the series. Stokes will next lead England in the Ranchi Test which starts on Friday (Feb 23) knowing a defeat would crush their dreams of winning a Test series on Indian soil. Currently, hosts India lead the five-match series 2-1 having won the Rajkot Test by a record 434 runs. India earlier won the Vizag contest by 106 runs to level the series. England’s sole victory in the series came in the opening Test in Hyderabad when Ollie Pope led the team’s charge with a brilliant 196-run knock.

IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes likely to bowl in Ranchi, Dharamsala Tests as England face do-or-die situation

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has conceded that Bazball has been exposed in England's 434-run defeat against India in the third Test on Sunday, Feb 18. England were bowled out for a paltry 122 in chase of 557 and lost eight wickets in the final session of the day (Sunday) in a stunning collapse. This was England's second biggest loss by&nbsp;margin of runs in all of their Test cricket and of course, a first since January 2022 or the Bazball era when Brendon McCullum took over as the Test coach and Ben Stokes as captain.

"Even when this England team have lost in the last 2 years you have always been able to take positives .. or they haven't been hammered .. this is looking like a wake up call that surely sends a message you can't just play one way against quality teams," Vaughan posted on X after the defeat.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/drama-over-drs-ben-stokes-calls-for-umpires-call-scrapping-following-crawleys-second-inning-dismissal-691506">Drama over DRS: Ben Stokes calls for umpire’s call scrapping following Crawley’s second-inning dismissal</a>

Vaughan also opined that the pitches in the last two matches have been fine and England needed to bat with common sense.

"I am afraid Bazball has been exposed this week. It's great when it works. The first Test was a pitch that did all sorts so I get Bazball on that pitch, but not the last two where the pitches have been absolutely fine to just play with positive intent but more so common sense," the former skipper said on BBC.

"Let's be honest, this could get messy for England. They have lost games in the Bazball era but they have never really been hammered. This could be the first," he said&nbsp;on air.

England skipper Ben Stokes is, however, confident of his team bouncing back and taking the series 3-2. The fourth Test of the five-match series will be played in Ranchi from Feb 23 before the final Test in Dharamsala begins on March 7.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has conceded that Bazball has been exposed in England's 434-run defeat against India in the third Test on Sunday, Feb 18. England were bowled out for a paltry 122 in chase of 557 and lost eight wickets in the final session of the day (Sunday) in a stunning collapse.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has conceded that Bazball has been exposed in England's 434-run defeat against India in the third Test on Sunday, Feb 18. England were bowled out for a paltry 122 in chase of 557 and lost eight wickets in the final session of the day (Sunday) in a stunning collapse. This was England's second biggest loss by margin of runs in all of their Test cricket and of course, a first since January 2022 or the Bazball era when Brendon McCullum took over as the Test coach and Ben Stokes as captain. "Even when this England team have lost in the last 2 years you have always been able to take positives .. or they haven't been hammered .. this is looking like a wake up call that surely sends a message you can't just play one way against quality teams," Vaughan posted on X after the defeat. Also Read: Drama over DRS: Ben Stokes calls for umpire’s call scrapping following Crawley’s second-inning dismissal Vaughan also opined that the pitches in the last two matches have been fine and England needed to bat with common sense. "I am afraid Bazball has been exposed this week. It's great when it works. The first Test was a pitch that did all sorts so I get Bazball on that pitch, but not the last two where the pitches have been absolutely fine to just play with positive intent but more so common sense," the former skipper said on BBC. "Let's be honest, this could get messy for England. They have lost games in the Bazball era but they have never really been hammered. This could be the first," he said on air. England skipper Ben Stokes is, however, confident of his team bouncing back and taking the series 3-2. The fourth Test of the five-match series will be played in Ranchi from Feb 23 before the final Test in Dharamsala begins on March 7.

A wake-up call: Former skipper Michael Vaughan lashes out at Bazball after England's drubbing in Rajkot

Ongoing India vs England five-match Test series may be on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as that of the iconic 2005 Ashes – already regarded as the greatest series since the start of the millennium. Although drawing a comparison here wouldn’t do justice to either, considering what India and England have to offer with two Tests remaining might excite any cricket fan.

From Glenn McGrath picking his 500th Test wicket in the first game at&nbsp;Lord’s to Kevin Pietersen emerging as the most brutal force in world cricket with his exploits throughout, the fans were treated with one heck of a cricket series in 2005. Fast forward 19 years, something similar has occurred on the Indian shores, with Ravi Ashwin doing a McGrath while a young Yashasvi Jaiswal happily pulling off a Kevin Pietersen.

Ashwin’s 500th Test scalp made headlines all over as he joined an elite list of cricketers accomplishing this unbelievable milestone, becoming the second Indian after veteran Anil Kumble (619) and third off-spinner after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Nathan Lyon (517*) to get there.

On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal is doing what Indian fans have been deprived of watching since the retirement of Virender Sehwag – smashing hundreds for fun at the top. Though Virat Kohli’s presence would have made the contest exciting, Jaiswal’s fireworks are already creating a buzz in his absence.

<h2>‘Bazball has been done before’</h2>

Sports come with funny yet relatable narratives, and England’s ultra-attacking approach, which their media introduced the world to as Bazball, is an example of that.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-jonny-bairstow-to-play-fourth-test-despite-rajkot-game-hammering-hints-coach-mccullum-691735">IND v ENG: Jonny Bairstow to play fourth Test despite 434-run hammering in Rajkot, says coach McCullum</a>

Although no one has anything to take away from the excitement it brought to Test cricket, pulling the fans back to watch the most iconic format in all of sports, Bazball being referred to as something that is been executed for the first time is funny in a lot of ways.

From the legendary Viv Richards to Sanath Jayasuriya to even Sehwag, several players were known to put their foot on the paddles from the word go, with ones to come afterwards following the same approach in most cases. For example, Adam Gilchrist from Australia and Andrew Flintoff from England both took on the opposition from ball one, even during the 2005&nbsp;Ashes.

<h3>‘Know the mistake, rectify the mistake’</h3>

While England’s win in the first match in Hyderabad had a lot to do with their carefree approach, which rightly deserves credit for the result, it backfired in the next two games, with England going down embarrassingly in both. A 106-run loss in Vizag might have pinched them a bit, but a&nbsp;434-run thrashing seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

For the record, it looks ugly, but England probably know&nbsp;where they lost the game.&nbsp;

THAT Joe Root dismissal is talked about as the sole reason behind England losing momentum and losing the match from the position from where they could have made merry. However, England coach Brendon McCullum backs Root to play the way he wants, arguing an improved Root can still turn the tables around for the visitors.

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Lightning reflexes from Jaiswal! ⚡️👏 
 
A bright start for Bumrah &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> 😍💪 on Day 3! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinemaSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinemaSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BazBowled?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BazBowled</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDFCFirstBankTestSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IDFCFirstBankTestSeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/y4FwWbIX5K">pic.twitter.com/y4FwWbIX5K</a>
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"I think he's averaged about 50 with that shot [previously 60, now 30], plus what's happened after he's played that shot previously. He's got out twice doing it. You can get nicked off defending one or trying to drive one through the leg side. I don't know if it is as high-risk shot in the modern game as what it appears in the previous game,” McCullum said while defending Root’s reverse-sweep shot to Bumrah that led to his fall.&nbsp;

<h4>‘It’s not over yet’</h4>

While the 2005&nbsp;Ashes result read England beating Australia at home for the first time in over 18 years, this contest in India is far from being over.&nbsp;

India surely leads the five-match series 2-1 as things stand, but discounting the high-flying England Team, who entered this series with the tag of a ‘daunting touring side’, would be the biggest mistake the hosts could make, like somewhere what Australia did in 2005 by underestimating England.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-dont-alter-bazball-approach-but-nasser-hussain-schools-ben-stokes-led-england-691686">Ind vs Eng: ‘Don’t alter Bazball approach, but...’ - Nasser Hussain schools Ben Stokes-led England</a>

Meanwhile, Ben Stokes sounded optimistic about his side turning the tables around despite trailing 1-2, saying they have a great chance of snatching the win from India in their home conditions.&nbsp;

"We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series; still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told media after Rajkot thrashing.&nbsp;

Come the fourth and the fifth Test in Ranchi and Dharamsala, respectively, the real action is about to begin.&nbsp;

So fans, gear up because this contest is far from over, like how it was during the ’05 Ashes.&nbsp;

Ongoing India vs England five-match Test series may be on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as that of the iconic 2005 Ashes – already regarded as the greatest series since the start of the millennium.

Ongoing India vs England five-match Test series may be on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as that of the iconic 2005 Ashes – already regarded as the greatest series since the start of the millennium. Although drawing a comparison here wouldn’t do justice to either, considering what India and England have to offer with two Tests remaining might excite any cricket fan. From Glenn McGrath picking his 500th Test wicket in the first game at Lord’s to Kevin Pietersen emerging as the most brutal force in world cricket with his exploits throughout, the fans were treated with one heck of a cricket series in 2005. Fast forward 19 years, something similar has occurred on the Indian shores, with Ravi Ashwin doing a McGrath while a young Yashasvi Jaiswal happily pulling off a Kevin Pietersen. Ashwin’s 500th Test scalp made headlines all over as he joined an elite list of cricketers accomplishing this unbelievable milestone, becoming the second Indian after veteran Anil Kumble (619) and third off-spinner after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Nathan Lyon (517*) to get there. On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal is doing what Indian fans have been deprived of watching since the retirement of Virender Sehwag – smashing hundreds for fun at the top. Though Virat Kohli’s presence would have made the contest exciting, Jaiswal’s fireworks are already creating a buzz in his absence. ‘Bazball has been done before’ Sports come with funny yet relatable narratives, and England’s ultra-attacking approach, which their media introduced the world to as Bazball, is an example of that. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Jonny Bairstow to play fourth Test despite 434-run hammering in Rajkot, says coach McCullum Although no one has anything to take away from the excitement it brought to Test cricket, pulling the fans back to watch the most iconic format in all of sports, Bazball being referred to as something that is been executed for the first time is funny in a lot of ways. From the legendary Viv Richards to Sanath Jayasuriya to even Sehwag, several players were known to put their foot on the paddles from the word go, with ones to come afterwards following the same approach in most cases. For example, Adam Gilchrist from Australia and Andrew Flintoff from England both took on the opposition from ball one, even during the 2005 Ashes. ‘Know the mistake, rectify the mistake’ While England’s win in the first match in Hyderabad had a lot to do with their carefree approach, which rightly deserves credit for the result, it backfired in the next two games, with England going down embarrassingly in both. A 106-run loss in Vizag might have pinched them a bit, but a 434-run thrashing seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. For the record, it looks ugly, but England probably know where they lost the game. THAT Joe Root dismissal is talked about as the sole reason behind England losing momentum and losing the match from the position from where they could have made merry. However, England coach Brendon McCullum backs Root to play the way he wants, arguing an improved Root can still turn the tables around for the visitors. Lightning reflexes from Jaiswal! ⚡️👏 A bright start for Bumrah & #TeamIndia 😍💪 on Day 3! 🔥#INDvENG #JioCinemaSports #BazBowled #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries pic.twitter.com/y4FwWbIX5K — JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 17, 2024 × "I think he's averaged about 50 with that shot [previously 60, now 30], plus what's happened after he's played that shot previously. He's got out twice doing it. You can get nicked off defending one or trying to drive one through the leg side. I don't know if it is as high-risk shot in the modern game as what it appears in the previous game,” McCullum said while defending Root’s reverse-sweep shot to Bumrah that led to his fall. ‘It’s not over yet’ While the 2005 Ashes result read England beating Australia at home for the first time in over 18 years, this contest in India is far from being over. India surely leads the five-match series 2-1 as things stand, but discounting the high-flying England Team, who entered this series with the tag of a ‘daunting touring side’, would be the biggest mistake the hosts could make, like somewhere what Australia did in 2005 by underestimating England. ALSO READ: Ind vs Eng: ‘Don’t alter Bazball approach, but...’ - Nasser Hussain schools Ben Stokes-led England Meanwhile, Ben Stokes sounded optimistic about his side turning the tables around despite trailing 1-2, saying they have a great chance of snatching the win from India in their home conditions. "We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series; still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told media after Rajkot thrashing. Come the fourth and the fifth Test in Ranchi and Dharamsala, respectively, the real action is about to begin. So fans, gear up because this contest is far from over, like how it was during the ’05 Ashes.

Explained | Why does the India-England Test series give 2005 Ashes vibes?

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide.

A day after commenting on his side's chances of making a comeback in the&nbsp;series, despite being down 1-2, Stokes said he felt 'great' bowling in the nets lately and only after consulting with the team doctors that he will take a call on resuming bowling in Tests.

Speaking with media outlet TNT after England’s heaviest defeat in Tests since 1934, Stokes said he felt he could have bowled in Rajkot, but that would have been stupid, considering he is yet to get a green signal from the medical staff. Stokes admitted that his recovery has happened more swiftly than he anticipated and doesn’t rule out him sharing the bowlers’ workload in the final two Tests.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-hes-a-modern-t20-player-says-ex-england-skipper-michael-atherton-on-indias-yashasvi-jaiswal-691631">IND vs ENG: 'He's a modern T20 player,' says ex-England skipper Atherton about India's Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

"I have managed to get my first bowl at 100 per cent in the warm-up. I'm not going to lie, I feel really great,” Stokes told TNT. "I felt like I could have bowled in this game, but that would have been stupid. I have a whole body to get used to bowling again.

"As a person, I like to jump the gun a little bit, but things are feeling really good. It's not a yes - but it's not a no either. I have progressed a lot faster than I thought I would.

"That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk,” Stokes added.

<h2>India crush England in Rajkot</h2>

Bazball suffered its heaviest and most embarrassing defeat in Rajkot, going down inside one session in the chase of 557 on day four. Although Ben Duckett was their star batter in the first innings, hitting a stunning hundred (153), the visitors got all out on 122 in their next outing, with their scorecard reading 50 for seven at one stage.

Unlike how the team is supposed to play wearing Bazball on their sleeves, Stokes deployed a cautious approach in both innings, scoring at a strike rate of under 50.&nbsp;

However, if England were to avoid suffering the same fate they did in 2021, they must think out of the box and deliver in the fourth and the fifth Test to script one of the greatest comebacks in this format.&nbsp;

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide.

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide. A day after commenting on his side's chances of making a comeback in the series, despite being down 1-2, Stokes said he felt 'great' bowling in the nets lately and only after consulting with the team doctors that he will take a call on resuming bowling in Tests. Speaking with media outlet TNT after England’s heaviest defeat in Tests since 1934, Stokes said he felt he could have bowled in Rajkot, but that would have been stupid, considering he is yet to get a green signal from the medical staff. Stokes admitted that his recovery has happened more swiftly than he anticipated and doesn’t rule out him sharing the bowlers’ workload in the final two Tests. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: 'He's a modern T20 player,' says ex-England skipper Atherton about India's Yashasvi Jaiswal "I have managed to get my first bowl at 100 per cent in the warm-up. I'm not going to lie, I feel really great,” Stokes told TNT. "I felt like I could have bowled in this game, but that would have been stupid. I have a whole body to get used to bowling again. "As a person, I like to jump the gun a little bit, but things are feeling really good. It's not a yes - but it's not a no either. I have progressed a lot faster than I thought I would. "That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk,” Stokes added. India crush England in Rajkot Bazball suffered its heaviest and most embarrassing defeat in Rajkot, going down inside one session in the chase of 557 on day four. Although Ben Duckett was their star batter in the first innings, hitting a stunning hundred (153), the visitors got all out on 122 in their next outing, with their scorecard reading 50 for seven at one stage. Unlike how the team is supposed to play wearing Bazball on their sleeves, Stokes deployed a cautious approach in both innings, scoring at a strike rate of under 50. However, if England were to avoid suffering the same fate they did in 2021, they must think out of the box and deliver in the fourth and the fifth Test to script one of the greatest comebacks in this format.

IND v ENG: Ben Stokes the bowler vows to save England’s sinking ship in last two Tests

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1. After the third Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain schooled Ben Stokes &amp; Co. Hussain feels England should not considering tweaking their famous Bazball approach but need some reflection and improvement before heading into the final two Tests.

<h2>‘It’s time for introspection’</h2>

In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "Sure, England got away with it in the first Test when they conceded a huge 190-run lead and turned things around... But on the Subcontinent, matches like that are the exception, not the rule and if you get behind it's very hard to catch up...It's a time for introspection. It's a time for the basics - taking your catches, making big scores in the first innings."

"Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure and this was a time to do so, forcing Bumrah into a second spell, making Jadeja bowl more and more. An opportunity for England to make India really miss Ashwin," Hussain further stated.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-rajkot-test-is-a-statement-win-for-under-fire-rohit-sharma-feels-veteran-stumper-dinesh-karthik-691596">Ind vs Eng: Rajkot Test is a statement win for 'under-fire' Rohit Sharma, feels veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik</a>

Hussain added, "If England don't consider tweaks, Bazball just becomes a cult that can't be questioned...I am not asking them to alter their mantra, just to review the last couple of matches and ask themselves: how can we improve?"

After being asked to bowl first, England had India reeling at 33-3 on the opening day of the Rajkot Test before Indian captain Rohit Sharma's 131 and Ravindra Jadeja's 112 propelled the hosts to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett stood out with an impressive 153 but England only managed 319, conceding a vital 126-run lead. India setup a massive 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten 214 in the second innings, to eventually dismiss the English line-up for a paltry 122 in the final innings.

England could not capitalise on a fine start, Duckett's daddy hundred and the fact that India were without R Ashwin, who withdrew from the Test midway due to a family emergency, and lost&nbsp;by a huge margin. The visitors, trailing 2-1, have a herculean task at hand to level the series in the fourth Test in Ranchi, which gets underway on Feb 23 (Friday).

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1.

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1. After the third Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain schooled Ben Stokes & Co. Hussain feels England should not considering tweaking their famous Bazball approach but need some reflection and improvement before heading into the final two Tests. ‘It’s time for introspection’ In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "Sure, England got away with it in the first Test when they conceded a huge 190-run lead and turned things around... But on the Subcontinent, matches like that are the exception, not the rule and if you get behind it's very hard to catch up...It's a time for introspection. It's a time for the basics - taking your catches, making big scores in the first innings." "Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure and this was a time to do so, forcing Bumrah into a second spell, making Jadeja bowl more and more. An opportunity for England to make India really miss Ashwin," Hussain further stated. Also read: Ind vs Eng: Rajkot Test is a statement win for 'under-fire' Rohit Sharma, feels veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik Hussain added, "If England don't consider tweaks, Bazball just becomes a cult that can't be questioned...I am not asking them to alter their mantra, just to review the last couple of matches and ask themselves: how can we improve?" After being asked to bowl first, England had India reeling at 33-3 on the opening day of the Rajkot Test before Indian captain Rohit Sharma's 131 and Ravindra Jadeja's 112 propelled the hosts to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett stood out with an impressive 153 but England only managed 319, conceding a vital 126-run lead. India setup a massive 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten 214 in the second innings, to eventually dismiss the English line-up for a paltry 122 in the final innings. England could not capitalise on a fine start, Duckett's daddy hundred and the fact that India were without R Ashwin, who withdrew from the Test midway due to a family emergency, and lost by a huge margin. The visitors, trailing 2-1, have a herculean task at hand to level the series in the fourth Test in Ranchi, which gets underway on Feb 23 (Friday).

Ind vs Eng: ‘Don’t alter Bazball approach, but...’ - Nasser Hussain schools Ben Stokes-led England

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings.

While after hitting the pads, the ball was projected to be missing the top of the leg stump, but the DRS call showed it clipped the leg stump, leaving everyone in the England camp confused (for the second time in this series).&nbsp;

During the ninth over of the second innings, Jasprit Bumrah trapped Crawley in front, only for the England opener to take a review immediately and lose it. Following the replays that showed the ball clip&nbsp;the top of the leg stump, resulting in him getting out since the umpire had adjudged it out with the naked eye, Crawley walked away in disbelief while the Indian team celebrated.

Crawley was on the receiving end for the second time in this series after getting out LBW off Kuldeep Yadav during the Vizag Test, a decision Stokes called ‘wrong’ at that time.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-we-can-still-win-this-series-3-2-ben-stokes-after-rajkot-test-loss-691481">IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss</a>

"We just wanted some clarity around Zak's DRS when the images came back," revealed Stokes after the Rajkot Test.&nbsp;

"The ball is quite clearly missing the stump on the replay. So, when it gets given the umpire's call, and the ball's not actually hitting the stumps, we were a bit bemused. So, we just wanted some clarity from the Hawk-Eye guys."

"It came back saying the numbers, or whatever it is that is, it was saying that it was hitting the stumps, but it was the projection that was wrong. I don't know what that means. Something's gone wrong, so, yeah."

"It's not me blaming that on what's happened here, like I didn't last week. It's just… what's going on?” the England captain added.

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❎ "The ball didn't hit the stump on the replay. We should take away umpires call." 
 
📹 "When the people in charge of it are saying that something's gone wrong, then that says enough." 
 
Ben Stokes chats to <a href="https://twitter.com/cameronponsonby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cameronponsonby</a> about the DRS decisions in their defeat 🏏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/89RWI4LT7Z">pic.twitter.com/89RWI4LT7Z</a>
— talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cricket_TS/status/1759206495827153077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Unhappy Stokes hates playing blame game</h2>

While Stokes admitted that such calls are not the reason behind them losing two back-to-back Tests, he said something needs to be changed in the technology, starting from the umpire’s call rule.

"It is not something you pin down to result of the game. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts, but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't."

"You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away the umpire's call if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match,” Stokes added.

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings.

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings. While after hitting the pads, the ball was projected to be missing the top of the leg stump, but the DRS call showed it clipped the leg stump, leaving everyone in the England camp confused (for the second time in this series). During the ninth over of the second innings, Jasprit Bumrah trapped Crawley in front, only for the England opener to take a review immediately and lose it. Following the replays that showed the ball clip the top of the leg stump, resulting in him getting out since the umpire had adjudged it out with the naked eye, Crawley walked away in disbelief while the Indian team celebrated. Crawley was on the receiving end for the second time in this series after getting out LBW off Kuldeep Yadav during the Vizag Test, a decision Stokes called ‘wrong’ at that time. ALSO READ: IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss "We just wanted some clarity around Zak's DRS when the images came back," revealed Stokes after the Rajkot Test. "The ball is quite clearly missing the stump on the replay. So, when it gets given the umpire's call, and the ball's not actually hitting the stumps, we were a bit bemused. So, we just wanted some clarity from the Hawk-Eye guys." "It came back saying the numbers, or whatever it is that is, it was saying that it was hitting the stumps, but it was the projection that was wrong. I don't know what that means. Something's gone wrong, so, yeah." "It's not me blaming that on what's happened here, like I didn't last week. It's just… what's going on?” the England captain added. ❎ "The ball didn't hit the stump on the replay. We should take away umpires call." 📹 "When the people in charge of it are saying that something's gone wrong, then that says enough." Ben Stokes chats to @cameronponsonby about the DRS decisions in their defeat 🏏 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/89RWI4LT7Z — talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) February 18, 2024 × Unhappy Stokes hates playing blame game While Stokes admitted that such calls are not the reason behind them losing two back-to-back Tests, he said something needs to be changed in the technology, starting from the umpire’s call rule. "It is not something you pin down to result of the game. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts, but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't." "You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away the umpire's call if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match,” Stokes added.

Drama over DRS: Ben Stokes calls for umpire’s call scrapping following Crawley’s second-inning dismissal

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on&nbsp;their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it.

England kept themselves alive in this game until the end of day two, only for one poor shot from Joe Root to hamper their momentum and pave way for&nbsp;defeat. India dominated the game afterwards, with young Jaiswal notching up his second double hundred of this series and helping his team march towards the win.

As India now leads the series 2-1, Stokes said his team has all the potential to turn it around from this point and walk away with a 3-2 series win.

"Everyone's got a perception and opinion about things," Stokes said during the post-match presentations. "But again, the people in the dressing room are the opinions that really matter to us.

"We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series, still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told broadcasters after Rajkot game loss.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-rohit-and-jadejas-first-inning-knocks-inspired-me-says-rajkot-test-hero-yashasvi-jaiswal-691440">IND v ENG: Rohit and Jadeja’s first inning knocks inspired me, says Rajkot Test hero Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

Stokes said while it’s not easy to take a defeat like that, his team will try putting this behind them and work towards achieving better results in the upcoming Tests.

"We'll make sure that we're moving on and focusing on what we've got coming up ahead because games can be won and lost in the head. We'll be leaving all the emotion and disappointment from this week, and moving on to the next one,” the England captain added.

<h2>‘I've got an unbelievable belief in myself’&nbsp;</h2>

Stokes addressed the elephant in the room talking about England’s collapse early on day three, with Root’s ‘worst shot of the century’ as labelled by one of England’s newspapers, also being discussed. Stokes said England had to put the foot on the paddle if they were to go for the win, but, unfortunately, they failed in their attempt this time.

Talking about his shot to Jadeja, which led to his wicket, Stokes said,&nbsp;"If you look at the situation we found ourselves in going into day three, to give ourselves a chance of winning, we had to try and press the button after the lunch break."&nbsp;

"They got some quick wickets, so we had to absorb the pressure that India threw at us there. But personally, I sensed that as an opportunity after lunch to go out and have 'one of my days out', we'll call it."

"I've got an unbelievable belief in myself that I can do that," he added.&nbsp;

"Just like I have an unbelievable belief in every individual in there that, on their day, they can turn the game in our favour. We wanted to be bowling at the back end of day three, that came a lot earlier than we wanted to, but that's how some things go. Nothing goes your way all the time,” Stokes added.

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it.

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it. England kept themselves alive in this game until the end of day two, only for one poor shot from Joe Root to hamper their momentum and pave way for defeat. India dominated the game afterwards, with young Jaiswal notching up his second double hundred of this series and helping his team march towards the win. As India now leads the series 2-1, Stokes said his team has all the potential to turn it around from this point and walk away with a 3-2 series win. "Everyone's got a perception and opinion about things," Stokes said during the post-match presentations. "But again, the people in the dressing room are the opinions that really matter to us. "We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series, still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told broadcasters after Rajkot game loss. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Rohit and Jadeja’s first inning knocks inspired me, says Rajkot Test hero Yashasvi Jaiswal Stokes said while it’s not easy to take a defeat like that, his team will try putting this behind them and work towards achieving better results in the upcoming Tests. "We'll make sure that we're moving on and focusing on what we've got coming up ahead because games can be won and lost in the head. We'll be leaving all the emotion and disappointment from this week, and moving on to the next one,” the England captain added. ‘I've got an unbelievable belief in myself’ Stokes addressed the elephant in the room talking about England’s collapse early on day three, with Root’s ‘worst shot of the century’ as labelled by one of England’s newspapers, also being discussed. Stokes said England had to put the foot on the paddle if they were to go for the win, but, unfortunately, they failed in their attempt this time. Talking about his shot to Jadeja, which led to his wicket, Stokes said, "If you look at the situation we found ourselves in going into day three, to give ourselves a chance of winning, we had to try and press the button after the lunch break." "They got some quick wickets, so we had to absorb the pressure that India threw at us there. But personally, I sensed that as an opportunity after lunch to go out and have 'one of my days out', we'll call it." "I've got an unbelievable belief in myself that I can do that," he added. "Just like I have an unbelievable belief in every individual in there that, on their day, they can turn the game in our favour. We wanted to be bowling at the back end of day three, that came a lot earlier than we wanted to, but that's how some things go. Nothing goes your way all the time,” Stokes added.

IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss

In less than 24 hours, England will take on India in the third Test match at Rajkot as the two nations prepare to face off for the third time in the five-match Test series. Ben Stokes, England captain will be playing his landmark 100th Test match on Thursday (Feb 15) at the Niranjan Shah Stadium and is focused on his side to register a win in the absence of Virat Kohli. However, Stokes claims that they won’t take anything for granted and will not label that as positive or negative heading into the match.

<h2>Stokes opines on Kohli’s absence</h2>

"I don't mean to say anything disrespectful to the question. I think when it's situations like these, when someone is missing a big series and a lot of cricket due to personal reasons, which we are not sure of, we shouldn't label that as positive or negative to our team," Stokes said in the video posted by the ECB.

England will enter the third Test match having returned from Abu Dhabi after a one-week break. They were away for warm training in the UAE and only returned to India on Monday. During the period it was also announced that Kohli won’t participate in the rest of the series due to personal issues. The former India captain was initially out for just two matches but on Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Kohli’s absence from the entire series.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-aus-trent-boult-returns-to-t20i-squad-rachin-ravindra-josh-clarkson-handed-maiden-call-ups-690101">NZ vs AUS: Trent Boult returns to T20I squad; Rachin Ravindra, Josh Clarkson handed maiden call-ups</a>

<h2>England announce Playing XI</h2>

England made wholesome changes to their Playing XI for the third Test match against India as the visitors recalled Mark Wood. The pacer having played the opening Test against India in Hyderabad was recalled after England decided to field two pacers for the third red-ball contest in Rajkot. This equation resulted in Vizag debutant Shoaib Bashir missing out on a place in the Playing XI.

Having won the opening Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad, the visitors were given a reality check by India after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double ton and Jasprit Bumrah’s smart bowling in Vizag. India won the Test by 106 runs and will enter Rajkot with intentions of back-to-back wins having levelled the series at 1-1.

In less than 24 hours, England will take on India in the third Test match at Rajkot as the two nations prepare to face off for the third time in the five-match Test series.

In less than 24 hours, England will take on India in the third Test match at Rajkot as the two nations prepare to face off for the third time in the five-match Test series. Ben Stokes, England captain will be playing his landmark 100th Test match on Thursday (Feb 15) at the Niranjan Shah Stadium and is focused on his side to register a win in the absence of Virat Kohli. However, Stokes claims that they won’t take anything for granted and will not label that as positive or negative heading into the match. Stokes opines on Kohli’s absence "I don't mean to say anything disrespectful to the question. I think when it's situations like these, when someone is missing a big series and a lot of cricket due to personal reasons, which we are not sure of, we shouldn't label that as positive or negative to our team," Stokes said in the video posted by the ECB. England will enter the third Test match having returned from Abu Dhabi after a one-week break. They were away for warm training in the UAE and only returned to India on Monday. During the period it was also announced that Kohli won’t participate in the rest of the series due to personal issues. The former India captain was initially out for just two matches but on Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Kohli’s absence from the entire series. ALSO READ | NZ vs AUS: Trent Boult returns to T20I squad; Rachin Ravindra, Josh Clarkson handed maiden call-ups England announce Playing XI England made wholesome changes to their Playing XI for the third Test match against India as the visitors recalled Mark Wood. The pacer having played the opening Test against India in Hyderabad was recalled after England decided to field two pacers for the third red-ball contest in Rajkot. This equation resulted in Vizag debutant Shoaib Bashir missing out on a place in the Playing XI. Having won the opening Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad, the visitors were given a reality check by India after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double ton and Jasprit Bumrah’s smart bowling in Vizag. India won the Test by 106 runs and will enter Rajkot with intentions of back-to-back wins having levelled the series at 1-1.

IND vs ENG: We shouldn’t label that as positive or negative - Ben Stokes on Virat Kohli’s absence

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja feels Ben Stokes &amp; Co. are not 'one of the most difficult teams'. England have given a good account of themselves in the opening two Tests versus hosts India. They won the series opener, in Hyderabad, by 28 runs despite conceding a whopping 190-run lead and gave a tough fight in their chase of 399 in the second Test in Visakhapatnam before losing by 106 runs. The series is currently levelled at 1-1 with the final three Tests expected to be close affairs.&nbsp;

In a pre-match presser, Jadeja spoke at length on England and said had India not committed 'small mistakes' in the Hyderabad Test, the scoreline could have been 2-0 in hosts' favour. "I won’t term England as one of the most difficult teams. It hasn't been easy for other teams to come to India and play. If it wasn't for small mistakes in second innings of first&nbsp;Test, we wouldn't have lost."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-mark-wood-returns-as-england-name-playing-xi-for-rajkot-test-vs-india-690153">Ind vs Eng: Mark Wood returns as England name playing XI for Rajkot Test vs India</a>

Jadeja will be the local boy in the upcoming Rajkot Test. His experience will come in handy for India. Speaking about the pitch and conditions, the veteran all-rounder said, "Here the wicket is flat and hard, but it depends on what they have prepared. Sometimes you get 37 wickets in three matches (days), but this wicket looks good." He added, "The wicket behaves differently in every game. Sometimes it stays flat, sometimes it turns, sometimes it plays well for two days and then turns. I believe it will play well first and then slowly it will break and the ball will turn."

England have already announced their playing XI for the Rajkot Test, with Mark Wood returning in place of Shoaib Bashir. Meanwhile, India will be without the injured duo of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul whereas Virat Kohli remains out of action as well, citing personal reasons, thus, the home side have a task in hand to remain ahead in the five-match series.&nbsp;

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja feels Ben Stokes & Co. are not 'one of the most difficult teams'. England have given a good account of themselves in the opening two Tests versus hosts India.

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja feels Ben Stokes & Co. are not 'one of the most difficult teams'. England have given a good account of themselves in the opening two Tests versus hosts India. They won the series opener, in Hyderabad, by 28 runs despite conceding a whopping 190-run lead and gave a tough fight in their chase of 399 in the second Test in Visakhapatnam before losing by 106 runs. The series is currently levelled at 1-1 with the final three Tests expected to be close affairs. In a pre-match presser, Jadeja spoke at length on England and said had India not committed 'small mistakes' in the Hyderabad Test, the scoreline could have been 2-0 in hosts' favour. "I won’t term England as one of the most difficult teams. It hasn't been easy for other teams to come to India and play. If it wasn't for small mistakes in second innings of first Test, we wouldn't have lost." Also read: Ind vs Eng: Mark Wood returns as England name playing XI for Rajkot Test vs India Jadeja will be the local boy in the upcoming Rajkot Test. His experience will come in handy for India. Speaking about the pitch and conditions, the veteran all-rounder said, "Here the wicket is flat and hard, but it depends on what they have prepared. Sometimes you get 37 wickets in three matches (days), but this wicket looks good." He added, "The wicket behaves differently in every game. Sometimes it stays flat, sometimes it turns, sometimes it plays well for two days and then turns. I believe it will play well first and then slowly it will break and the ball will turn." England have already announced their playing XI for the Rajkot Test, with Mark Wood returning in place of Shoaib Bashir. Meanwhile, India will be without the injured duo of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul whereas Virat Kohli remains out of action as well, citing personal reasons, thus, the home side have a task in hand to remain ahead in the five-match series.

Rajkot Test: Won’t term England as one of the most difficult teams, says India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out. Wood was part of England's 28-run win in the first Test in Hyderabad, however, England went ahead with James Anderson as the only pacer in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which the visitors lost by 106 runs. For the third Test, England will field two seamers in Wood and Anderson whereas their spin department will comprise Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Joe Root.&nbsp;

England captain Ben Stokes will also be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on Rohit Sharma-led India in the Rajkot Test. Thus, he will be eager to make a mark with his all-round skills and captaincy decisions. The visitors have backed their batting unit -- with Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley being their top performers so far -- but will need more from the likes of Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. On the other hand, all eyes will be on their spin trio of Hartley (who accounted for 7 for 62 in the final innings in Hyderabad), Rehan Ahmed (who recently dealt with visa issues while re-entering India) and Root.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-he-is-overthinking-being-over-cautious-former-indian-pacer-on-rohit-sharmas-form-struggles-690129">Ind vs Eng: He is overthinking, being over-cautious - Former Indian pacer on Rohit Sharma's form struggles</a>

England have opted for two pacers in Wood and Anderson and, thus, India can expect a barrage of bouncers. The two speedsters will look to make the most of the new ball and also make use of any&nbsp;reserve swing on offer.&nbsp;

England Men's XI

1. Zak Crawley 
2. Ben Duckett 
3. Ollie Pope 
4. Joe Root 
5. Jonny Bairstow 
6. Ben Stokes (C) 
7. Ben Foakes 
8. Rehan Ahmed 
9. Tom Hartley 
10. Mark Wood 
11. James Anderson

The five-match Test series is currently level&nbsp;at 1-1 and the last three Tests are expected to go down to the wire. It will be interesting to see India's playing XI, which is expected to be out only after the toss on Day 1 of the third Test on Thursday morning.&nbsp;

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out.

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out. Wood was part of England's 28-run win in the first Test in Hyderabad, however, England went ahead with James Anderson as the only pacer in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which the visitors lost by 106 runs. For the third Test, England will field two seamers in Wood and Anderson whereas their spin department will comprise Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Joe Root. England captain Ben Stokes will also be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on Rohit Sharma-led India in the Rajkot Test. Thus, he will be eager to make a mark with his all-round skills and captaincy decisions. The visitors have backed their batting unit -- with Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley being their top performers so far -- but will need more from the likes of Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. On the other hand, all eyes will be on their spin trio of Hartley (who accounted for 7 for 62 in the final innings in Hyderabad), Rehan Ahmed (who recently dealt with visa issues while re-entering India) and Root. Also read: Ind vs Eng: He is overthinking, being over-cautious - Former Indian pacer on Rohit Sharma's form struggles England have opted for two pacers in Wood and Anderson and, thus, India can expect a barrage of bouncers. The two speedsters will look to make the most of the new ball and also make use of any reserve swing on offer. England Men's XI 1. Zak Crawley 2. Ben Duckett 3. Ollie Pope 4. Joe Root 5. Jonny Bairstow 6. Ben Stokes (C) 7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed 9. Tom Hartley 10. Mark Wood 11. James Anderson The five-match Test series is currently level at 1-1 and the last three Tests are expected to go down to the wire. It will be interesting to see India's playing XI, which is expected to be out only after the toss on Day 1 of the third Test on Thursday morning.

Ind vs Eng: Mark Wood returns as England name playing XI for Rajkot Test vs India

England captain Ben Stokes is set for a major milestone in his Test career as he will wear his 100th cap in the red-ball format on Thursday (Feb 15) when his side takes on hosts India. Stokes, who made his debut for England in 2013, is the third-longest-serving active player in the team and was appointed captain of the side in 2022. He will join an elite company of players on Thursday when he takes the field at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.

<h2>Stokes opens up on 100th Test cap</h2>

"Every Test is just as important as the next one. Then there's the next one, which will be 101 - it's just one more," Stokes said while in conversation with BBC.

"It's a sign of longevity, but 99, 100 or 101 doesn't make much difference. It's just a number.

"I don't want it to sound like I'm not thankful for the opportunities I've had, but with milestones, it's not done until it's done," he added.

Stokes has enjoyed a stellar Test career and has flourished since taking the leadership role in 2022. During his time as skipper till now, he has helped England win the Test series against New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa while drawing 2-2 against Australia in the Ashes in 2023. His latest challenge though remains a litmus test against India in their own backyard.

<h3>Most Test matches for England (Active Players)</h3>

James Anderson (2003 – Present) – 184 Matches

Joe Root (2012 – Present) – 137 Matches

Ben Stokes (2013 – Present) – 99 Matches

Jonny Bairstow (2012 – Present) – 97 Matches

Zak Crawley (2019 – Present) – 41 Matches

Ollie Pope (2018 – Present) – 40 Matches

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-england-to-recall-mark-wood-in-playing-xi-for-rajkot-test-shoaib-bashir-likely-to-miss-out-690077">IND vs ENG: England to recall Mark Wood in Playing XI for Rajkot Test; Shoaib Bashir likely to miss out</a>

<h2>Can Stokes lead England to win in his 100th Test?</h2>

England are set to make wholesome changes to their Playing XI for the third Test match against India as the visitors look set to recall Mark Wood. Wood, having played the opening Test against India in Hyderabad, looks set for a recall as the visitors are likely to field two pacers in the third Test in Rajkot. This equation could result in Vizag debutant Shoaib Bashir missing out on the Playing XI.

Having won the opening Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad, the visitors were given a reality check by India owing to&nbsp;Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double ton and Jasprit Bumrah’s smart bowling in Vizag. India won the Test by 106 runs and will enter Rajkot with intentions of back-to-back wins having levelled the series 1-1.

England captain Ben Stokes is set for a major milestone in his Test career as he will wear his 100th cap in the red-ball format on Thursday (Feb 15) when his side takes on hosts India.

England captain Ben Stokes is set for a major milestone in his Test career as he will wear his 100th cap in the red-ball format on Thursday (Feb 15) when his side takes on hosts India. Stokes, who made his debut for England in 2013, is the third-longest-serving active player in the team and was appointed captain of the side in 2022. He will join an elite company of players on Thursday when he takes the field at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Stokes opens up on 100th Test cap "Every Test is just as important as the next one. Then there's the next one, which will be 101 - it's just one more," Stokes said while in conversation with BBC. "It's a sign of longevity, but 99, 100 or 101 doesn't make much difference. It's just a number. "I don't want it to sound like I'm not thankful for the opportunities I've had, but with milestones, it's not done until it's done," he added. Stokes has enjoyed a stellar Test career and has flourished since taking the leadership role in 2022. During his time as skipper till now, he has helped England win the Test series against New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa while drawing 2-2 against Australia in the Ashes in 2023. His latest challenge though remains a litmus test against India in their own backyard. Most Test matches for England (Active Players) James Anderson (2003 – Present) – 184 Matches Joe Root (2012 – Present) – 137 Matches Ben Stokes (2013 – Present) – 99 Matches Jonny Bairstow (2012 – Present) – 97 Matches Zak Crawley (2019 – Present) – 41 Matches Ollie Pope (2018 – Present) – 40 Matches ALSO READ | IND vs ENG: England to recall Mark Wood in Playing XI for Rajkot Test; Shoaib Bashir likely to miss out Can Stokes lead England to win in his 100th Test? England are set to make wholesome changes to their Playing XI for the third Test match against India as the visitors look set to recall Mark Wood. Wood, having played the opening Test against India in Hyderabad, looks set for a recall as the visitors are likely to field two pacers in the third Test in Rajkot. This equation could result in Vizag debutant Shoaib Bashir missing out on the Playing XI. Having won the opening Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad, the visitors were given a reality check by India owing to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double ton and Jasprit Bumrah’s smart bowling in Vizag. India won the Test by 106 runs and will enter Rajkot with intentions of back-to-back wins having levelled the series 1-1.

IND vs ENG: 'It's just a number' - Ben Stokes on monumental 100th Test cap for England

England captain Ben Stokes will be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on India in the third Test in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15 (Thursday). Ahead of the commencement of the third Test versus India, England Test vice-captain Ollie Pope lavished huge praise on Stokes and stated that it is an 'unbelievable achievement' to play 100 Tests. Stokes has been one of the greats of the modern-day game and has&nbsp;6,251 runs and 197 wickets in 99 Tests.

Ahead of Stokes' 100th Test, Pope addressed the media in the pre-match press conference and said,&nbsp;"Unbelievable achievement to play 100 Tests. Since he has been the captain there have been so many special moments." The English all-rounder has had a remarkable run in international cricket, especially in the purest format of the game. He has won several games from nowhere with both bat and ball and has changed England's playing style completely ever since he took over as the Test captain in early 2022.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-have-thrown-some-punches-to-push-india-back-feels-former-test-specialist-ahead-of-rajkot-test-689769">England have thrown some punches to push India back, feels former Test specialist ahead of Rajkot Test</a>

Stokes has led England in 21 Tests, winning 14 and losing only six. At present, he has a stern task ahead to take England to a series win over India after 12 years. Currently, the India-England Test series is levelled at 1-1 with three more games to go. Stokes-led England have pushed India to the back foot in the opening two Tests and not given anything to them easily, while relying on their Bazball approach.&nbsp;

In the Test series versus India, Stokes has looked good with the bat but is yet to come up with bigger knocks. He has not bowled yet in the series and Pope indicated that he might bowl in Rajkot. He added, "Not sure if Ben Stokes will be available to bowl in the Rajkot Test, he is working to get his knee right." Stokes is three wickets away from 200 Test scalps and the English captain would love to get to the milestone in his landmark Test.

England captain Ben Stokes will be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on India in the third Test in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15 (Thursday). Ahead of the commencement of the third Test versus India, England Test vice-captain Ollie Pope lavished huge praise on Stokes and stated that it is an 'unbelievable achievement' to play 100 Tests.

England captain Ben Stokes will be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on India in the third Test in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15 (Thursday). Ahead of the commencement of the third Test versus India, England Test vice-captain Ollie Pope lavished huge praise on Stokes and stated that it is an 'unbelievable achievement' to play 100 Tests. Stokes has been one of the greats of the modern-day game and has 6,251 runs and 197 wickets in 99 Tests. Ahead of Stokes' 100th Test, Pope addressed the media in the pre-match press conference and said, "Unbelievable achievement to play 100 Tests. Since he has been the captain there have been so many special moments." The English all-rounder has had a remarkable run in international cricket, especially in the purest format of the game. He has won several games from nowhere with both bat and ball and has changed England's playing style completely ever since he took over as the Test captain in early 2022. Also read: England have thrown some punches to push India back, feels former Test specialist ahead of Rajkot Test Stokes has led England in 21 Tests, winning 14 and losing only six. At present, he has a stern task ahead to take England to a series win over India after 12 years. Currently, the India-England Test series is levelled at 1-1 with three more games to go. Stokes-led England have pushed India to the back foot in the opening two Tests and not given anything to them easily, while relying on their Bazball approach. In the Test series versus India, Stokes has looked good with the bat but is yet to come up with bigger knocks. He has not bowled yet in the series and Pope indicated that he might bowl in Rajkot. He added, "Not sure if Ben Stokes will be available to bowl in the Rajkot Test, he is working to get his knee right." Stokes is three wickets away from 200 Test scalps and the English captain would love to get to the milestone in his landmark Test.

Ind vs Eng | 'Unbelievable achievement': Pope lauds Stokes as England captain gears up for 100th Test

India and England are set to lock horns in the third Test, in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15. After the end of the first two Tests, the series is interestingly poised at 1-1. Ahead of the third Test, former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels England captain Ben Stokes' aggressive captaincy will ensure India have a tough time in the last three Tests.&nbsp;

In his column, Chappell wrote, "As the home side India should eventually win a tough series, but it has a real battle on their hands. England under the aggressive leadership of Stokes are a far cry from the poorly captained Joe Root team that capitulated against spin on their last tour of the country. This India versus England contest is shaping up as it should: a tough five-match encounter between two talented sides."

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"Much of England's success has been attributed to Bazball - the desire to score quickly and tactically rattle the opposition - but this is a misnomer. What Stokes has really done is set out to achieve victory from ball one by playing aggressive cricket in all aspects of the game. Stokes has been extremely smart to adopt such an approach and his aggressive tactics have brought England great success in the win column," added Chappell.

England have looked much more&nbsp;confident, relying on their Bazball approach, this time around in India. During their last Test series on Indian soil, the then Joe Root-led England side lost the five-match series 1-3; being clueless against spin and in terms of their strategies. Under Stokes, England have kept India on their toes in both the Tests with their unorthodox field settings, timely bowling changes and positive approach with the bat.&nbsp;

Moreover, injuries and Virat Kohli's absence have also not helped Rohit Sharma-led Indian team's case so far in the series.&nbsp;

India and England are set to lock horns in the third Test, in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15. After the end of the first two Tests, the series is interestingly poised at 1-1.

India and England are set to lock horns in the third Test, in Rajkot, which gets underway on Feb 15. After the end of the first two Tests, the series is interestingly poised at 1-1. Ahead of the third Test, former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels England captain Ben Stokes' aggressive captaincy will ensure India have a tough time in the last three Tests. In his column, Chappell wrote, "As the home side India should eventually win a tough series, but it has a real battle on their hands. England under the aggressive leadership of Stokes are a far cry from the poorly captained Joe Root team that capitulated against spin on their last tour of the country. This India versus England contest is shaping up as it should: a tough five-match encounter between two talented sides." Also read: 'Will talk about Bazball after series is over,' says India spinner Ravi Ashwin "Much of England's success has been attributed to Bazball - the desire to score quickly and tactically rattle the opposition - but this is a misnomer. What Stokes has really done is set out to achieve victory from ball one by playing aggressive cricket in all aspects of the game. Stokes has been extremely smart to adopt such an approach and his aggressive tactics have brought England great success in the win column," added Chappell. England have looked much more confident, relying on their Bazball approach, this time around in India. During their last Test series on Indian soil, the then Joe Root-led England side lost the five-match series 1-3; being clueless against spin and in terms of their strategies. Under Stokes, England have kept India on their toes in both the Tests with their unorthodox field settings, timely bowling changes and positive approach with the bat. Moreover, injuries and Virat Kohli's absence have also not helped Rohit Sharma-led Indian team's case so far in the series.

Ind vs Eng: Aggressive Ben Stokes will give India a real battle in last three Tests, predicts Ian Chappell

Former England captain Michael Atherton opened up on Ben Stokes' struggle&nbsp;against Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing five Tests in India.&nbsp;The Indian speedster has already accounted for Stokes' wickets twice in the first two Tests,. He had never dismissed Stokes in six Tests prior to the series but got him&nbsp;twice in the series so far. Atherton believes Stokes has not been able to pick up the pace of the ball against Bumrah.

Talking to Sky Cricket, Atherton pointed out, "Picking with the speed of the ball is tough with him, and I’ve noticed with Stokes, even Stokes actually is an excellent player of fast bowling. He’s hurried with Bumrah."

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He added, "He struggles to pick up the pace, and a couple of times when he’s got him, it looks as though the ball has kept low, which has but it also almost beaten him for pace as well. I think that’s the issue with Bumrah."

Stokes has been among runs in the series but not been&nbsp;at his dominant best. He has 134 runs in four outings, with a best of 70 in the Hyderabad Test. Meanwhile, Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker of the series with 15 scalps under his belt. He won the Player-of-the-Match award in India's series-levelling 106-run win in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.&nbsp;

The Stokes versus Bumrah rivalry resumes in the third Test, which gets underway on Feb 15 in Rajkot. It will be interesting to see if the English captain manages to weather the Bumrah storm.

Former England captain Michael Atherton opened up on Ben Stokes' struggle against Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing five Tests in India. The Indian speedster has already accounted for Stokes' wickets twice in the first two Tests,.

Former England captain Michael Atherton opened up on Ben Stokes' struggle against Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing five Tests in India. The Indian speedster has already accounted for Stokes' wickets twice in the first two Tests,. He had never dismissed Stokes in six Tests prior to the series but got him twice in the series so far. Atherton believes Stokes has not been able to pick up the pace of the ball against Bumrah. Talking to Sky Cricket, Atherton pointed out, "Picking with the speed of the ball is tough with him, and I’ve noticed with Stokes, even Stokes actually is an excellent player of fast bowling. He’s hurried with Bumrah." Also read: Kohli propelled them to learn and get better: Philander on Indian pacers' rise, thrilled for Bumrah's success He added, "He struggles to pick up the pace, and a couple of times when he’s got him, it looks as though the ball has kept low, which has but it also almost beaten him for pace as well. I think that’s the issue with Bumrah." Stokes has been among runs in the series but not been at his dominant best. He has 134 runs in four outings, with a best of 70 in the Hyderabad Test. Meanwhile, Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker of the series with 15 scalps under his belt. He won the Player-of-the-Match award in India's series-levelling 106-run win in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. The Stokes versus Bumrah rivalry resumes in the third Test, which gets underway on Feb 15 in Rajkot. It will be interesting to see if the English captain manages to weather the Bumrah storm.

Ind vs Eng: Michael Atherton reasons why Ben Stokes has struggled against in-form Jasprit Bumrah

Former England skipper Joe Root has revealed that the English team doesn't do team meetings anymore after Ben Stokes became the skipper and Brendon McCullum came on as the head coach. Root made the comments on Jio Cinema - the official digital broadcaster of the ongoing India vs England Test series. The five-match series is tied at 1-1 after the first two games and there's a nine-day rest period before the next Test starts on February 15 in Rajkot.

"We don't really do team meetings anymore. That's one of the great things about how we do all of our conversations away from the game and just that enjoyment and buzz about spending time with each other," said Root about the new mindset in England camp.

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"We don't have to sit in a meeting room and I think it's more authentic and more genuine when you can have it around a dinner table. Having a coffee in the morning or whatever, I think that's when you do your best learning," he added.

Although England lost the second Test by 106 runs, their come-from-behind win by 28 runs in the first Test in Hyderabad speaks volumes about the&nbsp;brand of cricket they play these days.

Termed 'Bazball', India head coach Rahul Dravid also praised the new English style of play and acknowledged that it is not just slogging but skills as well.

"It's not wild slogging, they are actually showing some very good skills. Some of the shots they are playing require a lot of skills and ability. You can't just come and execute those things," said Dravid at the post-match presentation after the second Test in Vizag.

England are currently in Abu Dhabi for the break before the third Test and their coach McCullum has said that the team won't be doing much practice in their time off.

Former England skipper Joe Root has revealed that the English team doesn't do team meetings anymore after Ben Stokes became the skipper and Brendon McCullum came on as the head coach.

Former England skipper Joe Root has revealed that the English team doesn't do team meetings anymore after Ben Stokes became the skipper and Brendon McCullum came on as the head coach. Root made the comments on Jio Cinema - the official digital broadcaster of the ongoing India vs England Test series. The five-match series is tied at 1-1 after the first two games and there's a nine-day rest period before the next Test starts on February 15 in Rajkot. "We don't really do team meetings anymore. That's one of the great things about how we do all of our conversations away from the game and just that enjoyment and buzz about spending time with each other," said Root about the new mindset in England camp. Also Read: DC coach Ricky Ponting 'not quite sure yet' about Rishabh Pant's role in IPL 2024 season "We don't have to sit in a meeting room and I think it's more authentic and more genuine when you can have it around a dinner table. Having a coffee in the morning or whatever, I think that's when you do your best learning," he added. Although England lost the second Test by 106 runs, their come-from-behind win by 28 runs in the first Test in Hyderabad speaks volumes about the brand of cricket they play these days. Termed 'Bazball', India head coach Rahul Dravid also praised the new English style of play and acknowledged that it is not just slogging but skills as well. "It's not wild slogging, they are actually showing some very good skills. Some of the shots they are playing require a lot of skills and ability. You can't just come and execute those things," said Dravid at the post-match presentation after the second Test in Vizag. England are currently in Abu Dhabi for the break before the third Test and their coach McCullum has said that the team won't be doing much practice in their time off.

'We don't do team meetings anymore,' reveals former England skipper Joe Root

England skipper Ben Stokes thinks that the LBW decision based on hawk-eye to give Zak Crawley out on day 4 (Feb 5) of the second Test against India in Vizag was wrong. Crawley, who scored 73, was the fifth English wicket to fall in a chase of 399. His dismissal came one over before lunch on day 4 off Kuldeep Yadav with England at half-way mark in their run chase.

The incident happened in the 41st over England's innings and the on-filed umpire had given the batter not out. India captain Rohit Sharma then decided to take the review and the hawk-eye showed ball hitting the leg stump. Stokes, after the loss, said that the technology got it wrong in this case.

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“Technology in the game is obviously there and ­everyone has an understanding of the ­reasons it can never be 100%, which is why we have the ‘umpire’s call’. When it’s not 100%, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say: ‘I think the ­tech­nology has got it wrong on this occasion.’ And that is my ­personal opinion.

“But in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes, I am not going to say that is the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted. I’m just ­saying my personal opinion is that the ­tech­nology has gone wrong on this occasion, and I think that’s fair to say,” he said.

After Crawey's wicket, Jonny Bairstow also got out in the next over as India claimed five of the nine remaining English wickets in the first session of day 4 only. England were eventually bowled out for 292 shortly before tea as India won the match by 106 runs and drew level at 1-1 in the five-match series.

The next Test will be played from February 15-19 in Rajkot.

England skipper Ben Stokes thinks that the LBW decision based on hawk-eye to give Zak Crawley out on day 4 (Feb 5) of the second Test against India in Vizag was wrong.

England skipper Ben Stokes thinks that the LBW decision based on hawk-eye to give Zak Crawley out on day 4 (Feb 5) of the second Test against India in Vizag was wrong. Crawley, who scored 73, was the fifth English wicket to fall in a chase of 399. His dismissal came one over before lunch on day 4 off Kuldeep Yadav with England at half-way mark in their run chase. The incident happened in the 41st over England's innings and the on-filed umpire had given the batter not out. India captain Rohit Sharma then decided to take the review and the hawk-eye showed ball hitting the leg stump. Stokes, after the loss, said that the technology got it wrong in this case. Also Read: IND vs ENG: Jasprit Bumrah likely to be rested for Rajkot Test; Virat and KL Rahul to return “Technology in the game is obviously there and everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100%, which is why we have the ‘umpire’s call’. When it’s not 100%, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say: ‘I think the technology has got it wrong on this occasion.’ And that is my personal opinion. “But in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes, I am not going to say that is the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted. I’m just saying my personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion, and I think that’s fair to say,” he said. After Crawey's wicket, Jonny Bairstow also got out in the next over as India claimed five of the nine remaining English wickets in the first session of day 4 only. England were eventually bowled out for 292 shortly before tea as India won the match by 106 runs and drew level at 1-1 in the five-match series. The next Test will be played from February 15-19 in Rajkot.

England skipper Ben Stokes blames Zak Crawley's LBW decision on 'wrong hawk-eye' after defeat in second Test

England captain Ben Stokes admitted there was a belief in the dressing room about chasing 399 against India on day four of the second Test in Vizag. England lost the game by 106 runs despite valiant efforts from Crawley, Foakes&nbsp;and the lower order. Bumrah and Ashwin starred for India as the hosts made a successful comeback in this five-match series.

"Coming into this last innings, we had full belief in ourselves that we could go and chase that down. The way in which we go about taking on challenges like that is what we're about, and the number of runs that we needed to get was just sort of another thing for us to try and try and chase down,” Stokes said at the post-match presentation.

Ruing the missed chance to go 2-0 up in this five-match series, Stokes said they backed themselves to trust the process and go for the win in the fourth innings. Stokes added with their newest style of attacking cricket, which the world now calls Bazball, they put India under pressure.

While Stokes backs England to approach remaining games in this series with the same fearless mindset, he congratulated India on being the better team on the day and winning when it mattered.

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"In moments like that, in games when you've got scoreboard pressure, a lot of runs to chase down, that's where your process and the way in which we know that we get the best out of ourselves as individuals, that really comes out.&nbsp;

“And I thought the way in which we applied ourselves and really tried to put India's bowling attack under a lot of pressure was great. Unfortunately, we didn't end up on the right side of the result. Congrats to India, I thought they played a fantastic game and, again, another great game to be a part of,” Stokes added.

<h2>‘We wanted to assert authority’</h2>

Entering India with the reputation of being one of the most aggressive sides in Test cricket, England had something at stake, and though they lost the game, they ensured of asserting the authority over India, telling them this is how they will play.

"The big thing for us was asserting our authority very early and letting the Indian bowling attack know that this is how we're going to go about the day, trying to not let them settle and make it as hard as we possibly could for them," Stokes told broadcaster TNT earlier.&nbsp;

"I know we've got to give credit to [India captain] Rohit [Sharma], the way in which he led, and credit to the bowlers that every time that we would drag the momentum back towards us and sort of felt like we were getting on top of them, they were able to produce something to take the wicket and put us back."

"But, I'm real pleased with the way in which that we found ourselves in a pressure situation. Chasing runs down in India is never easy, but we were actually able to go out there and stick to everything that we speak about,” the England captain added.&nbsp;

England captain Ben Stokes admitted there was a belief in the dressing room about chasing 399 against India on day four of the second Test in Vizag. England lost the game by 106 runs despite valiant efforts from Crawley, Foakes and the lower order.

England captain Ben Stokes admitted there was a belief in the dressing room about chasing 399 against India on day four of the second Test in Vizag. England lost the game by 106 runs despite valiant efforts from Crawley, Foakes and the lower order. Bumrah and Ashwin starred for India as the hosts made a successful comeback in this five-match series. "Coming into this last innings, we had full belief in ourselves that we could go and chase that down. The way in which we go about taking on challenges like that is what we're about, and the number of runs that we needed to get was just sort of another thing for us to try and try and chase down,” Stokes said at the post-match presentation. Ruing the missed chance to go 2-0 up in this five-match series, Stokes said they backed themselves to trust the process and go for the win in the fourth innings. Stokes added with their newest style of attacking cricket, which the world now calls Bazball, they put India under pressure. While Stokes backs England to approach remaining games in this series with the same fearless mindset, he congratulated India on being the better team on the day and winning when it mattered. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Vizag Test hero Jasprit Bumrah reveals his first love in cricket "In moments like that, in games when you've got scoreboard pressure, a lot of runs to chase down, that's where your process and the way in which we know that we get the best out of ourselves as individuals, that really comes out. “And I thought the way in which we applied ourselves and really tried to put India's bowling attack under a lot of pressure was great. Unfortunately, we didn't end up on the right side of the result. Congrats to India, I thought they played a fantastic game and, again, another great game to be a part of,” Stokes added. ‘We wanted to assert authority’ Entering India with the reputation of being one of the most aggressive sides in Test cricket, England had something at stake, and though they lost the game, they ensured of asserting the authority over India, telling them this is how they will play. "The big thing for us was asserting our authority very early and letting the Indian bowling attack know that this is how we're going to go about the day, trying to not let them settle and make it as hard as we possibly could for them," Stokes told broadcaster TNT earlier. "I know we've got to give credit to [India captain] Rohit [Sharma], the way in which he led, and credit to the bowlers that every time that we would drag the momentum back towards us and sort of felt like we were getting on top of them, they were able to produce something to take the wicket and put us back." "But, I'm real pleased with the way in which that we found ourselves in a pressure situation. Chasing runs down in India is never easy, but we were actually able to go out there and stick to everything that we speak about,” the England captain added.

IND v ENG - We were confident of chasing 399, says Ben Stokes after losing second Test

England lost the second Test match against India on day 4 (Feb 4) in Vizag but the bazballing team still managed to make a record. The visitors managed 292 runs in their second and fourth innings of the match which is now the second highest total for a visiting team in fourth innings in India. They were seven short of Sri Lanka's record fourth innings total of 299 in India. The Three Lions have bettered their previous highest fourth innings total of 241/5 which they had scored in 1964.

England are also only the third team since Sri Lanka (299/5) in 2017 and New Zealand (272/6) in 2003 to go past 250 in the fourth innings in India.&nbsp;

Chasing 399, England lost five of the nine remaining wickets in the first session only and it effectively turned the tide into India's favour. In the second session, skipper Ben Stokes was found short by Shreyas Iyer while trying to sneak a quick single as all England's hopes of winning the match turned&nbsp;futile.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-test-india-beat-england-by-106-runs-in-vizag-equal-series-1-1-687125">IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: India beat England by 106 runs in Vizag, level series 1-1</a>

Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley did put up a bit of resistance with a 55-run partnership for the eighth wicket before Bumrah sent back Foakes with a return catch off his own bowling. England's last two wickets fell cheaply as India completed a much-needed turnaround after losing the first Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad.

Stokes noted after the match that while it was great to put India under pressure, it was unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of result.

"We had full belief in ourselves that we could chase that down. The way we have gone about taking on challenges like that is what we are about. In moments like that, when you have scoreboard pressure, that is when we get the best out of ourselves as individuals. The way we applied ourselves and put India under pressure was great, unfortunately we didn't end up on the right side of the result," said Stokes at the post-match presentation.

The third Test of the five-match series will be played from February 15-19 in Rajkot.

England lost the second Test match against India on day 4 (Feb 4) in Vizag but the bazballing team still managed to make a record. The visitors managed 292 runs in their second and fourth innings of the match which is now the second highest total for a visiting team in fourth innings in India.

England lost the second Test match against India on day 4 (Feb 4) in Vizag but the bazballing team still managed to make a record. The visitors managed 292 runs in their second and fourth innings of the match which is now the second highest total for a visiting team in fourth innings in India. They were seven short of Sri Lanka's record fourth innings total of 299 in India. The Three Lions have bettered their previous highest fourth innings total of 241/5 which they had scored in 1964. England are also only the third team since Sri Lanka (299/5) in 2017 and New Zealand (272/6) in 2003 to go past 250 in the fourth innings in India. Chasing 399, England lost five of the nine remaining wickets in the first session only and it effectively turned the tide into India's favour. In the second session, skipper Ben Stokes was found short by Shreyas Iyer while trying to sneak a quick single as all England's hopes of winning the match turned futile. Also Read: IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: India beat England by 106 runs in Vizag, level series 1-1 Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley did put up a bit of resistance with a 55-run partnership for the eighth wicket before Bumrah sent back Foakes with a return catch off his own bowling. England's last two wickets fell cheaply as India completed a much-needed turnaround after losing the first Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad. Stokes noted after the match that while it was great to put India under pressure, it was unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of result. "We had full belief in ourselves that we could chase that down. The way we have gone about taking on challenges like that is what we are about. In moments like that, when you have scoreboard pressure, that is when we get the best out of ourselves as individuals. The way we applied ourselves and put India under pressure was great, unfortunately we didn't end up on the right side of the result," said Stokes at the post-match presentation. The third Test of the five-match series will be played from February 15-19 in Rajkot.

Bazballing England manage record fourth innings total in India despite loss in second Test

England skipper Ben Stokes produced a sensational piece of fielding on day 3 (Feb 4) to dismiss India's Shreyas Iyer. Stokes ran backward towards mid-off area to catch Iyer off spinner Tom Hartley. Iyer was third wicket to fall for India on the third day as England tried to claw back in the game after conceding a 143-run lead in the first innings on day 2 of the second Test in Vizag.

Iyer fell just before lunch on day 3 on the personal score of 29 with India on 111. The batter had added 81 runs for the third wicket. Have a look at the wicket below:

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A screamer 🤯 from Stokes sends back Shreyas Iyer!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BazBowled?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BazBowled</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDFCFirstBankTestsSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IDFCFirstBankTestsSeries</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinemaSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinemaSports</a> <a href="https://t.co/nEbPLX88w3">pic.twitter.com/nEbPLX88w3</a>
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema/status/1754019818121187503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, India started from their overnight score of 28/0 in the second innings but England veteran James Anderson struck early to send back both skipper Rohit Sharma and first innings' double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal. India were suddenly 30/2 before Gill and Iyer batted out almost rest of the first session.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-test-not-going-to-happen-every-day-says-jasprit-bumrah-after-taking-six-fer-on-day-2-686789">IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: 'Not going to happen every day,' says Jasprit Bumrah after taking six-fer on day 2</a>

As for England, they were cruising along nicely at 114-1 on day 2 of the Test before Jasprit Bumrah bowled a magical spell. For the visitors, Zak Crawley top scored with 76 runs but once he was dismissed by Axar Patel, England kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Bumrah, who bowled magnificently and conjured one of the best spells of his career, especially in India, took 6/45 as England folded out 143-run short of India's first innings total of 396.&nbsp;

“I’ve done it before and it came off, but it didn’t come off today. I was disappointed with myself, especially when the wickets fell after. But I’ll keep telling myself to back my aggressive game because that’s what got me here,” said Crawley about playing one shot too many during his innings.

India are currently trailing 0-1 in the five-match series after losing the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs.

England skipper Ben Stokes produced a sensational piece of fielding on day 3 (Feb 4) to dismiss India's Shreyas Iyer. Stokes ran backward towards mid-off area to catch Iyer off spinner Tom Hartley.

England skipper Ben Stokes produced a sensational piece of fielding on day 3 (Feb 4) to dismiss India's Shreyas Iyer. Stokes ran backward towards mid-off area to catch Iyer off spinner Tom Hartley. Iyer was third wicket to fall for India on the third day as England tried to claw back in the game after conceding a 143-run lead in the first innings on day 2 of the second Test in Vizag. Iyer fell just before lunch on day 3 on the personal score of 29 with India on 111. The batter had added 81 runs for the third wicket. Have a look at the wicket below: A screamer 🤯 from Stokes sends back Shreyas Iyer!#INDvENG #BazBowled #IDFCFirstBankTestsSeries #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/nEbPLX88w3 — JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 4, 2024 × Earlier, India started from their overnight score of 28/0 in the second innings but England veteran James Anderson struck early to send back both skipper Rohit Sharma and first innings' double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal. India were suddenly 30/2 before Gill and Iyer batted out almost rest of the first session. Also Read: IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: 'Not going to happen every day,' says Jasprit Bumrah after taking six-fer on day 2 As for England, they were cruising along nicely at 114-1 on day 2 of the Test before Jasprit Bumrah bowled a magical spell. For the visitors, Zak Crawley top scored with 76 runs but once he was dismissed by Axar Patel, England kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bumrah, who bowled magnificently and conjured one of the best spells of his career, especially in India, took 6/45 as England folded out 143-run short of India's first innings total of 396. “I’ve done it before and it came off, but it didn’t come off today. I was disappointed with myself, especially when the wickets fell after. But I’ll keep telling myself to back my aggressive game because that’s what got me here,” said Crawley about playing one shot too many during his innings. India are currently trailing 0-1 in the five-match series after losing the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs.

IND vs ENG, 2nd Test Day 3: Ben Stokes takes SENSATIONAL catch to dismiss Shreyas Iyer - WATCH

Former England captain Michael Atherton has backed Ben Stokes-led England to win the five-match Test series in India after their terrific win in the series opener in Hyderabad. Stokes &amp; Co. produced a remarkable comeback in the first Test, after conceding a 190-run lead, to win the game by 28 runs courtesy of Ollie Pope's 196 and debutant spinner Tom Hartley's 7 for 62.

Ahead of India-England's second Test in Visakhapatnam, which got underway on Friday (Feb 2), Atherton feels it will be disappointing if England do not end up winning the series after the kind of start they had in Hyderabad.&nbsp;

<h2>'England have an excellent chance of building on their lead'</h2>

In his column in The Times, Atherton said, "England have moved from heavy second favourites to a situation where it would be a disappointment now if they did not win the series. Such an outcome, so unexpected and so unbelievable given where both teams were in the first innings, must have a huge psychological impact, especially given the quick turnaround and the injuries to two of India’s key players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. England have an excellent chance of building on their lead."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/relaxed-india-did-not-panic-after-hyderabad-loss-bharat-says-batters-to-play-with-freedom-in-2nd-test-685927">Indian team ‘not demoralised’ after Hyderabad loss: Bharat says batters to 'play with freedom' in 2nd Test</a>

Atherton also opined on Virat Kohli's absence and how it was dearly missed in his side's shocking loss in Hyderabad. In this regard, he stated, "How significant Kohli’s absence was became apparent during the first Test, given how badly they missed his appetite for big runs, his safe catching at slip, his ability to withstand pressure and his passionate attitude in the field."

He added, "Rohit Sharma is a captain in a very different mould from his predecessor [Kohli] — at once more laid-back, albeit not quite so passive as MS Dhoni. As England began to get ahead in Hyderabad, Kohli’s electric presence in the field, as much as anything, was missed. It would not have been hard to imagine the way he would have tried to whip up the crowd and the way his energy would have been transmitted to others."

Kohli is out of action till the second Test due to personal reasons. However, nothing is officially known about him returning for the Third Test.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Rohit-led India won the toss and opted to bat first in the Vizag Test on Friday morning. They are behind 0-1 and will be desperate to level the five-match series.

Former England captain Michael Atherton has backed Ben Stokes-led England to win the five-match Test series in India after their terrific win in the series opener in Hyderabad.

Former England captain Michael Atherton has backed Ben Stokes-led England to win the five-match Test series in India after their terrific win in the series opener in Hyderabad. Stokes & Co. produced a remarkable comeback in the first Test, after conceding a 190-run lead, to win the game by 28 runs courtesy of Ollie Pope's 196 and debutant spinner Tom Hartley's 7 for 62. Ahead of India-England's second Test in Visakhapatnam, which got underway on Friday (Feb 2), Atherton feels it will be disappointing if England do not end up winning the series after the kind of start they had in Hyderabad. 'England have an excellent chance of building on their lead' In his column in The Times, Atherton said, "England have moved from heavy second favourites to a situation where it would be a disappointment now if they did not win the series. Such an outcome, so unexpected and so unbelievable given where both teams were in the first innings, must have a huge psychological impact, especially given the quick turnaround and the injuries to two of India’s key players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. England have an excellent chance of building on their lead." Also read: Indian team ‘not demoralised’ after Hyderabad loss: Bharat says batters to 'play with freedom' in 2nd Test Atherton also opined on Virat Kohli's absence and how it was dearly missed in his side's shocking loss in Hyderabad. In this regard, he stated, "How significant Kohli’s absence was became apparent during the first Test, given how badly they missed his appetite for big runs, his safe catching at slip, his ability to withstand pressure and his passionate attitude in the field." He added, "Rohit Sharma is a captain in a very different mould from his predecessor [Kohli] — at once more laid-back, albeit not quite so passive as MS Dhoni. As England began to get ahead in Hyderabad, Kohli’s electric presence in the field, as much as anything, was missed. It would not have been hard to imagine the way he would have tried to whip up the crowd and the way his energy would have been transmitted to others." Kohli is out of action till the second Test due to personal reasons. However, nothing is officially known about him returning for the Third Test. Meanwhile, Rohit-led India won the toss and opted to bat first in the Vizag Test on Friday morning. They are behind 0-1 and will be desperate to level the five-match series.

Ind vs Eng: Would be disappointing if England don't win series, says Atherton after visitors' bright start

The loss for India against England in first Test at Hyderabad has renewed the focus on pitches and the capability of India batters while playing spin as well. The home team was thoroughly outplayed in both the departments by the touring English side and it is visible in numbers. England's Ollie Pope leads the run chart after first match with 197 runs including 196 in the second innings while debutant spinner Tom Hartley leads the bowling chart with nine scalps to his name.

For India, KL Rahul is the batter with most runs - 108 in two innings while pacer Jasprit Bumrah has taken most wickets (9) despite India fielding three spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel.

The result is not something new, in fact in the three series played in India after the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021 final, Indian players have not been able to play better cricket than the touring sides in both departments, i.e., batting and bowling. While India has managed to win all three series, it is a pot waiting to boil over when India loses one of the home Test series and by the looks of it, England have a very good chance of winning their first red-ball series in India since 2012.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-batting-coach-vikram-rathour-backs-young-batters-to-come-good-after-first-test-loss-685598">India batting coach Vikram Rathour backs young batters to come good after first Test loss</a>

Here's the data from three series' which have taken place in India since 2021 WTC final:

<h2>New Zealand tour of India for two Tests</h2>

During the series, Mayank Agarwal was the highest run getter from both sides with 242 runs in four innings and Shreyas Iyer was overall second with 202 runs. New Zealand's Tom Latham came third with 163 runs. For India Axar Patel, however, scored more runs than Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (one Test only) and Ajinkya Rahane. While for the Kiwis, it was their batters only who scored runs, albeit in small numbers.

As for bowling, Ajaz Patel took 17 wickets including a record 10-wicket haul while Ashwin and Patel combined took 23 wickets. Moreover, Kiwi pacers were also effective on so called spin friendly Indian pitches with Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson taking 14 wickets combined while India's third and fourth highest wicket-takers, Jadeja and Jayant Yadav, took a total of 10 wickets, which shows the bit of ineffectiveness of Indian spinners on their home ground.

<h2>Sri Lanka tour of India for two Tests</h2>

Against Sri Lanka, it was Ravindra Jadeja, once again an all-rounder like Patel, who finished at the top of run charts with 201 runs in three innings. He finished ahead of the India batters namely Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agrawal. Among the bowlers, Bumrah finished just two wickets behind Ravi Ashwin's 12 - highest in the series and two clear of Ravindra Jadeja's eight - once again showing the effectiveness of pacers on Indian pitches.

For Sri Lanka, Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama combined for 15 wickets in comparison to Jadeja and Ashwin's 20 wickets - showing Indian batters are as vulnerable as the visitors against spin.

<h2>Australia tour of India for four Tests</h2>

Visiting batter Usman Khawaja (333) emerged as the highest run-scorer and the only batter with more than 300 runs. Virat Kohli was second with 297 runs but apart from him, no&nbsp;other batter could cross 250 except Axar Patel who scored 264 runs in just five innings.

As for the bowlers, Ashwin and Jadeja took 47 wickets between them while Aussies, who had Nathan Lyon and debutant Todd Murphy in the side, finished with 36 between them - a performance almost at par given the experience of the Aussie duo. For the third spinner role, India had Axar who took three wickets in seven innings while Aussie Matthew Kuhnemann took nine in five innings.

Overall, the Indian spinners had 50 wickets among them while the Aussies, two of them hugely inexperienced in comparison, took 45 wickets along with Lyon.&nbsp;

In the ongoing series, &nbsp;the Indian spinners have managed 14 wickets with Ashwin taking six while Jadeja and Axar chipping in with five and three, respectively. For England, Hartley and part-time spinner Joe Root have only been suffice to manage 14 wickets while Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed also picking up four between them.

The above instances clearly show that not only foreign batters have become better at playing the Indian spinners, the visitors have been able to contain the Indian batters, who are generally thought as better players of spin.

If the trend continues, England will surely have a brighter chance of beating India at home in a Test series, a feat last achieved last by England only in 2012 when they had won the four-match series 2-1.

The loss for India against England in first Test at Hyderabad has renewed the focus on pitches and the capability of India batters while playing spin as well. The home team was thoroughly outplayed in both the departments by the touring English side and it is visible in numbers.

The loss for India against England in first Test at Hyderabad has renewed the focus on pitches and the capability of India batters while playing spin as well. The home team was thoroughly outplayed in both the departments by the touring English side and it is visible in numbers. England's Ollie Pope leads the run chart after first match with 197 runs including 196 in the second innings while debutant spinner Tom Hartley leads the bowling chart with nine scalps to his name. For India, KL Rahul is the batter with most runs - 108 in two innings while pacer Jasprit Bumrah has taken most wickets (9) despite India fielding three spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel. The result is not something new, in fact in the three series played in India after the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021 final, Indian players have not been able to play better cricket than the touring sides in both departments, i.e., batting and bowling. While India has managed to win all three series, it is a pot waiting to boil over when India loses one of the home Test series and by the looks of it, England have a very good chance of winning their first red-ball series in India since 2012. Also Read: India batting coach Vikram Rathour backs young batters to come good after first Test loss Here's the data from three series' which have taken place in India since 2021 WTC final: New Zealand tour of India for two Tests During the series, Mayank Agarwal was the highest run getter from both sides with 242 runs in four innings and Shreyas Iyer was overall second with 202 runs. New Zealand's Tom Latham came third with 163 runs. For India Axar Patel, however, scored more runs than Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (one Test only) and Ajinkya Rahane. While for the Kiwis, it was their batters only who scored runs, albeit in small numbers. As for bowling, Ajaz Patel took 17 wickets including a record 10-wicket haul while Ashwin and Patel combined took 23 wickets. Moreover, Kiwi pacers were also effective on so called spin friendly Indian pitches with Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson taking 14 wickets combined while India's third and fourth highest wicket-takers, Jadeja and Jayant Yadav, took a total of 10 wickets, which shows the bit of ineffectiveness of Indian spinners on their home ground. Sri Lanka tour of India for two Tests Against Sri Lanka, it was Ravindra Jadeja, once again an all-rounder like Patel, who finished at the top of run charts with 201 runs in three innings. He finished ahead of the India batters namely Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agrawal. Among the bowlers, Bumrah finished just two wickets behind Ravi Ashwin's 12 - highest in the series and two clear of Ravindra Jadeja's eight - once again showing the effectiveness of pacers on Indian pitches. For Sri Lanka, Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama combined for 15 wickets in comparison to Jadeja and Ashwin's 20 wickets - showing Indian batters are as vulnerable as the visitors against spin. Australia tour of India for four Tests Visiting batter Usman Khawaja (333) emerged as the highest run-scorer and the only batter with more than 300 runs. Virat Kohli was second with 297 runs but apart from him, no other batter could cross 250 except Axar Patel who scored 264 runs in just five innings. As for the bowlers, Ashwin and Jadeja took 47 wickets between them while Aussies, who had Nathan Lyon and debutant Todd Murphy in the side, finished with 36 between them - a performance almost at par given the experience of the Aussie duo. For the third spinner role, India had Axar who took three wickets in seven innings while Aussie Matthew Kuhnemann took nine in five innings. Overall, the Indian spinners had 50 wickets among them while the Aussies, two of them hugely inexperienced in comparison, took 45 wickets along with Lyon. In the ongoing series, the Indian spinners have managed 14 wickets with Ashwin taking six while Jadeja and Axar chipping in with five and three, respectively. For England, Hartley and part-time spinner Joe Root have only been suffice to manage 14 wickets while Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed also picking up four between them. The above instances clearly show that not only foreign batters have become better at playing the Indian spinners, the visitors have been able to contain the Indian batters, who are generally thought as better players of spin. If the trend continues, England will surely have a brighter chance of beating India at home in a Test series, a feat last achieved last by England only in 2012 when they had won the four-match series 2-1.

Explained: Why England have better chance of winning ongoing Test series in India

England spinner Jack Leach picked up a knee injury during day one of the first Test and is ruled out of the second game against India&nbsp;starting on Friday in Vizag. Captain Ben Stokes confirmed the news ahead of the match, adding they will turn their attention to young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir as Leach's potential replacement in the XI.&nbsp;

Leach bowled limited spells during the first Test, bowling just ten overs in the second innings, where he picked Shreyas Iyer’s wicket and contributed to a famous 28-run win for England against India.&nbsp;

Stokes admits it’s a shame that Leach will miss the second Test, adding the medical team is assessing his situation with the hope that he returns to the side sometime later in the five-match series.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-why-england-have-better-chance-of-winning-ongoing-test-series-in-india-685641">Explained: Why England have better chance of winning ongoing Test series in India</a>

"He's ruled out of the second Test," Stokes said. "Unfortunately, the knock he took resulted in a haematoma in his leg. It's a big shame for us, a big shame for Jack, obviously after a long time out of the game with his back.

"To sustain that injury, first game back, obviously it's frustrating. But it's something we're assessing every day. The medical team have taken over that, and hopefully, it's not something that's too serious and keeps him out for longer in the series,” the England captain added.

<h2>Bashir's time has arrived</h2>

Meanwhile, Bashir landed in India during the first Test following his visa delay and has joined the squad for the remainder of the series. With Leach ruled out and the wicket on offer in Vizag likely to assist spinners, Stokes and management are keen on putting their money on Bashir.&nbsp;

Hinting at bringing the off-spinner on board for Vizag Test, who, to date, has&nbsp;just played six first-class matches, Stokes said, "If he (Bashir) was to play on this tour, then the great thing he has on his side is, what is there to lose?

"That is how I will be thinking about it if he gets the chance to play: just to make sure I can give him the best experience I possibly can. Because you only play your first Test match once. If he does play, then I will be trying to make it as enjoyable and fun for him as I can,” Stokes added.

Although head coach Brendon McCullum had earlier hinted at playing an all-spin attack in the second Test, Stokes said they are yet to conclude who replaces Leach in the XI.

"Myself, Baz [Brendon McCullum] and Popey [vice-captain Ollie Pope] will probably have a longer think about it. We looked at the wicket; I gave it a tap, and a play-around to make it look like I knew what I was doing. Bash is in the squad, we haven't brought him here to have an experience. If we feel we want to turn to him, we will,” Stokes added.

England lead the five-match series 1-0.&nbsp;

England spinner Jack Leach picked up a knee injury during day one of the first Test and is ruled out of the second game against India starting on Friday in Vizag.

England spinner Jack Leach picked up a knee injury during day one of the first Test and is ruled out of the second game against India starting on Friday in Vizag. Captain Ben Stokes confirmed the news ahead of the match, adding they will turn their attention to young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir as Leach's potential replacement in the XI. Leach bowled limited spells during the first Test, bowling just ten overs in the second innings, where he picked Shreyas Iyer’s wicket and contributed to a famous 28-run win for England against India. Stokes admits it’s a shame that Leach will miss the second Test, adding the medical team is assessing his situation with the hope that he returns to the side sometime later in the five-match series. ALSO READ: Explained: Why England have better chance of winning ongoing Test series in India "He's ruled out of the second Test," Stokes said. "Unfortunately, the knock he took resulted in a haematoma in his leg. It's a big shame for us, a big shame for Jack, obviously after a long time out of the game with his back. "To sustain that injury, first game back, obviously it's frustrating. But it's something we're assessing every day. The medical team have taken over that, and hopefully, it's not something that's too serious and keeps him out for longer in the series,” the England captain added. Bashir's time has arrived Meanwhile, Bashir landed in India during the first Test following his visa delay and has joined the squad for the remainder of the series. With Leach ruled out and the wicket on offer in Vizag likely to assist spinners, Stokes and management are keen on putting their money on Bashir. Hinting at bringing the off-spinner on board for Vizag Test, who, to date, has just played six first-class matches, Stokes said, "If he (Bashir) was to play on this tour, then the great thing he has on his side is, what is there to lose? "That is how I will be thinking about it if he gets the chance to play: just to make sure I can give him the best experience I possibly can. Because you only play your first Test match once. If he does play, then I will be trying to make it as enjoyable and fun for him as I can,” Stokes added. Although head coach Brendon McCullum had earlier hinted at playing an all-spin attack in the second Test, Stokes said they are yet to conclude who replaces Leach in the XI. "Myself, Baz [Brendon McCullum] and Popey [vice-captain Ollie Pope] will probably have a longer think about it. We looked at the wicket; I gave it a tap, and a play-around to make it look like I knew what I was doing. Bash is in the squad, we haven't brought him here to have an experience. If we feel we want to turn to him, we will,” Stokes added. England lead the five-match series 1-0.

IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes turns attention to Shoaib Bashir as Leach’s replacement for Vizag Test

England have announced the playing XI for second Test against India starting February 2 in Vizag, Andra Pradesh. With leading spinner Jack Leach injured, England have decided to hand a debut to 20-year-old Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir who linked up with the squad after a visa delay. Apart from him, veteran James Anderson has also been recalled in the final XI. Anderson will replace express pacer Mark Wood who played in the first Test.

Leach was always doubtful for the second Test after picking up a knee injury in the first Test in Hyderabad. He had also not taken part in team's practice session on Wednesday (Jan 31). Leach jarred his knee on day 1 of the first Test and played a limited&nbsp;role in England's sensational win thereafter. Despite the injury, he batted&nbsp;as well as scalped&nbsp;Shreyas Iyer's wicket in the second innings.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-why-england-have-better-chance-of-winning-ongoing-test-series-in-india-685641">Explained: Why England have better chance of winning ongoing Test series in India</a>

England are looking to take 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first Test by 28 runs. Notably, this was the first time India lost against England in Tests after taking a 190-run lead in the first innings. Ollie Pope scored a magnificent 196 while debutant spinner Tom Hartley took seven-for in the second innings as India were bowled out for 202 chasing&nbsp;a target of 231.

In the ongoing series, the Indian spinners have managed 14 wickets with Ashwin taking six while Jadeja and Axar have chipped&nbsp;in with five and three, respectively. For England, Hartley and part-time spinner Joe Root have only&nbsp;managed 14 wickets while Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed have&nbsp;picked&nbsp;up four between them.

If the trend continues, England will surely have a brighter chance of beating India at home in a Test series, a feat last achieved&nbsp;by England only in 2012 when they had won the four-match series 2-1.

England playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (capt), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.

England have announced the playing XI for second Test against India starting February 2 in Vizag, Andra Pradesh. With leading spinner Jack Leach injured, England have decided to hand a debut to 20-year-old Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir who linked up with the squad after a visa delay.

England have announced the playing XI for second Test against India starting February 2 in Vizag, Andra Pradesh. With leading spinner Jack Leach injured, England have decided to hand a debut to 20-year-old Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir who linked up with the squad after a visa delay. Apart from him, veteran James Anderson has also been recalled in the final XI. Anderson will replace express pacer Mark Wood who played in the first Test. Leach was always doubtful for the second Test after picking up a knee injury in the first Test in Hyderabad. He had also not taken part in team's practice session on Wednesday (Jan 31). Leach jarred his knee on day 1 of the first Test and played a limited role in England's sensational win thereafter. Despite the injury, he batted as well as scalped Shreyas Iyer's wicket in the second innings. Also Read: Explained: Why England have better chance of winning ongoing Test series in India England are looking to take 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first Test by 28 runs. Notably, this was the first time India lost against England in Tests after taking a 190-run lead in the first innings. Ollie Pope scored a magnificent 196 while debutant spinner Tom Hartley took seven-for in the second innings as India were bowled out for 202 chasing a target of 231. In the ongoing series, the Indian spinners have managed 14 wickets with Ashwin taking six while Jadeja and Axar have chipped in with five and three, respectively. For England, Hartley and part-time spinner Joe Root have only managed 14 wickets while Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed have picked up four between them. If the trend continues, England will surely have a brighter chance of beating India at home in a Test series, a feat last achieved by England only in 2012 when they had won the four-match series 2-1. England playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (capt), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.

England announce playing XI for second Test vs India, Shoaib Bashir to replace injured Jack Leach

We did a Nathan Lyon with Tom Hartley in Hyderabad, and it paid off, England Coach Brendon McCullum admitted while speaking on SENZ Radio after the first Test win. With sight set on taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, McCullum added England might go for horses for courses policy in the second Test in Vizag, playing four spinners if conditions demand.

Like how Lyon, with just a handful of first-class matches, made his Test debut in 2011, Hartley emerged onto the Test scene with little experience on his back and delivered, guiding England to a famous win in the Hyderabad Test, picking seven wickets in the second innings.

Speaking on picking left-armer Hartley in the first Test, McCullum admitted it was a punk call, and he is glad it paid off.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-2nd-test-rajat-not-sarfaraz-should-replace-rahul-gill-not-a-number-3-batter-sarandeep-singh-685159">IND v ENG, 2nd Test - Rajat, not Sarfaraz, should replace Rahul; Gill not a number 3 batter: Sarandeep Singh</a>

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“Tom Hartley, on debut, who has only played a handful of first-class games, stepped up with the bowl. It was a punt selection,” McCullum said on SENZ Radio.&nbsp;

“We saw something in him that we thought will work over here. He is a tough character, and the way the skipper handled him was quite remarkable as well. He obviously bowled us to the Test win,” the coach added.

Referring to Lyon in the same breath as Hartley, McCullum said, “When we picked Tom, people raised their eyebrows, but let’s not forget Nathan Lyon only played a handful of first-class cricket, averaging 40 odd when he first got picked for the Test team for Australia.”

<h2>McCullum hints at changes in XI for Vizag Test</h2>

Having won the first Test in Hyderabad, England has a cushion for experimenting with their playing XI in the second Test in Vizag, starting on Friday. Although the wicket on offer might assist spinners, McCullum said if the conditions demand, England might play four spinners, with Shoaib Bashir getting included in the XI.&nbsp;

Known to be playing the ultra-attacking brand of cricket, which the world labels as ‘Bazball’, McCullum admitted they would stick to their fearless approach in the remainder of the series.&nbsp;

“He was obviously with us in the camp in Abu Dhabi and he really impressed with his skill sets. He fits in the group. He again like Tom Hartley has little first-class experience, but we thought his skill could help us in here.

“He turned up at a perfect time. The guys gave him a huge cheer, and he witness the Test win. He also comes to the calculation for the next Test match. We won’t be afraid to play all spinners if the wickets will turn more,” the head coach said.

We did a Nathan Lyon with Tom Hartley in Hyderabad, and it paid off, England Coach Brendon McCullum admitted while speaking on SENZ Radio after the first Test win.

We did a Nathan Lyon with Tom Hartley in Hyderabad, and it paid off, England Coach Brendon McCullum admitted while speaking on SENZ Radio after the first Test win. With sight set on taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, McCullum added England might go for horses for courses policy in the second Test in Vizag, playing four spinners if conditions demand. Like how Lyon, with just a handful of first-class matches, made his Test debut in 2011, Hartley emerged onto the Test scene with little experience on his back and delivered, guiding England to a famous win in the Hyderabad Test, picking seven wickets in the second innings. Speaking on picking left-armer Hartley in the first Test, McCullum admitted it was a punk call, and he is glad it paid off. ALSO READ: IND v ENG, 2nd Test - Rajat, not Sarfaraz, should replace Rahul; Gill not a number 3 batter: Sarandeep Singh × “Tom Hartley, on debut, who has only played a handful of first-class games, stepped up with the bowl. It was a punt selection,” McCullum said on SENZ Radio. “We saw something in him that we thought will work over here. He is a tough character, and the way the skipper handled him was quite remarkable as well. He obviously bowled us to the Test win,” the coach added. Referring to Lyon in the same breath as Hartley, McCullum said, “When we picked Tom, people raised their eyebrows, but let’s not forget Nathan Lyon only played a handful of first-class cricket, averaging 40 odd when he first got picked for the Test team for Australia.” McCullum hints at changes in XI for Vizag Test Having won the first Test in Hyderabad, England has a cushion for experimenting with their playing XI in the second Test in Vizag, starting on Friday. Although the wicket on offer might assist spinners, McCullum said if the conditions demand, England might play four spinners, with Shoaib Bashir getting included in the XI. Known to be playing the ultra-attacking brand of cricket, which the world labels as ‘Bazball’, McCullum admitted they would stick to their fearless approach in the remainder of the series. “He was obviously with us in the camp in Abu Dhabi and he really impressed with his skill sets. He fits in the group. He again like Tom Hartley has little first-class experience, but we thought his skill could help us in here. “He turned up at a perfect time. The guys gave him a huge cheer, and he witness the Test win. He also comes to the calculation for the next Test match. We won’t be afraid to play all spinners if the wickets will turn more,” the head coach said.

IND vs ENG: Tom Hartley’s ‘punt selection’ paid off in Hyderabad – Brendon McCullum lauds newbie’s heroics

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