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An error in judgment by England captain Ben Stokes, coupled with Shreyas Iyer’s presence of mind, gave India a breakthrough during the afternoon session of Day 4 of the ongoing Test in Visakhapatnam.
Ben Foakes pushed a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery towards square leg and asked Stokes for a single. While the single looked easy, Stokes was too casual to start the run.
Midway through, Ben Stokes probably realized that the single was too tight and tried to run towards the striker’s end. Shreyas Iyer ran towards the ball and took and bowled quickly to get a direct hit. While Indian fielders initially thought Stokes was safe, replays showed the left-hander was close to his crease.
Click here for the video of Stokes’ exit.
Ben Stokes had taken a sensational catch to dismiss Shreyas Iyer in the second innings. Iyer made sure to return the favor with a Stokes-like celebration. Here is a video:
Arguably, Stokes would punish himself for not diving, as it could have saved him. Given the skill with which he can bat with the lower order, it was a wicket the hosts desperately needed.
India would look to keep the pressure on after Ben Stokes’ wicket
While Stokes’ dismissal was a big break for the Indians, they would expect to continue reducing wickets as England continue to bat at a high pace. Tom Hartley came out to bat with positive intent once again and has already joined a half-century stand with Ben Foakes.
The pressure on India will increase with every border that England marks. Captain Rohit Sharma would have to be astute with his bowling changes, as well as his placements on the field, if he hopes to keep the visitors on their toes.
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