Ashes 2023, 2nd Test: Virat Kohli Appreciates Ben Stokes’ Historic Century Against Australia
New Delhi: Pat Cummins-led Australia defeated England in the second Ashes 2023 Test by 43 runs at the Lord’s Stadium in London, on Sunday. The hosts fell short despite their skipper Ben Stokes’ valiant 155 runs knock in the fourth innings.
Ben Stokes created history in the match and recorded the highest individual score in Test cricket in the 4th innings while batting at No.6 or below. Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli appreciated the scintillating knock from the Englishman.
“I wasn’t joking about calling Ben Stokes the most competitive bloke I’ve played against. Innings of the highest quality but Australia is too good at the moment,” Virat Kohli tweeted from his official handle appreciating the English skipper.
I wasn’t joking about calling Ben Stokes the most competitive bloke I’ve played against. Innings of the highest quality but Australia is too good at the moment ????
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 2, 2023
Ben Stokes Addresses Loss In 2nd Test
“Having experienced something similar, you are able to look back at it. Did take a lot out of Headingley but unfortunately not to be. Definitely felt we had a shout, but Australia changed their plans, and that changed things for me. I had to take my risks to the longer side of the ground. Tough one to swallow, but it was a fantastic game. We are 2-0 down but we got 3 games to go. We have won 3-0 against Pakistan, 3-0 against NZ so we have the belief that we can do it,” said Stokes in the post-match show.
“Quite some factors about that dismissal, I was looking at the umpires if they had called the over, they said no. At the end of the day, it is out. If the shoe was in the other foot, I’d probably have to think about this atmosphere and decide what to do. It has happened, it is out! When you win the toss and bowl, you want to restrict them under 300 and the first day the lads got criticism, but the number of times the ball missed the bat was frustrating. Great effort from the guys to keep bowling that way. The effort and energy everyone has put in can’t be faulted. In the end, we have lost the Test match but lots of positives to take,” said Stokes addressing the Bairstow dismissal.
“Reckless is an easy word to use, what me and Brendon have done is give guys complete clarity. We don’t ask them to play a certain way, but if they play a certain way they have the full backing of the dressing room. So the message out there is to play with clarity, I might play a bowler differently than someone else but when we are walking out there we have complete clarity. (On Josh Tongue) First game against Ireland I didn’t know him well, I knew him as a great prospect. He has been brilliant. Great find for us, incredible the way he took responsibility and bowled for us. Quick turnaround now and we are 2-0 down, but we can make it 3-2,” Stokes concluded.