“Had full belief in ourselves that we’ll chase” – Ben Stokes on 106-run defeat in 2nd Test against India.

England captain Ben Stokes expressed his team’s unwavering belief in their ability to chase down the daunting target of 399 runs on Day 4 of the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam. The versatile seam-bowling all-rounder highlighted the resilience of his team and acknowledged that high-pressure matches like these bring out the best in the squad.

Starting the day’s play at 67-1, England faced the monumental task of pursuing a record-breaking target to go 2-0 up in the five-Test series. Despite Zak Crawley’s impressive innings of 73, the English batsmen struggled to make significant contributions, ultimately succumbing to a total of 292 all out and conceding the match by 106 runs.

During the post-match presentation, Stokes reflected on the thrilling encounter, describing it as an incredible game to be involved in. He emphasized that the team’s management refrains from dictating the approach to the batsmen, allowing them the freedom to play their natural game.

Ben Stokes said “Coming into this last innings, had full belief in ourselves that we’ll chase it down. In moments like that, in games with scoreboard pressure, that’s where we get the best out of ourselves.

“Another great game to be a part of. There’s no suggestion whatsoever about how to play. Everyone in the dressing room is a quality player. They are good enough to go out there and assess the conditions, and decide how to go about it.”

England briefly harbored hopes of a successful chase, particularly when Tom Hartley and Ben Foakes forged a promising partnership, adding crucial runs to the scoreboard. However, Jasprit Bumrah’s pivotal breakthroughs, dismissing Foakes and eventually ending Hartley’s resistance, dashed England’s aspirations and propelled India to level the series.