Ben Stokes Raises Question On Ranchi Pitch Ahead Of 4th Test

There are cracks on one side of the Ranchi surface, immediately outside the off-stumps for right-handers and left-handers, respectively.

England, down 2-1 in the series, must win the match starting on Friday in order to force a fifth and final Test.

“I have never previously seen something like it. Stokes remarked, “I have no idea what could expect from this pitch.”

He says he has never seen anything like it before and does not know what to expect.

versatile “When you walk outside, it looks different: very dark and crumbly with quite a few cracks in it,” Stokes continued. “It looked green and grassy in the changing rooms.”

On Friday, England will announce their squad, and they have a lot of possibilities.At the third Test at Rajkot, which ended in a crushing 434-run loss, James Anderson and Mark Wood were paired together as pacers for the first time in the series.

It’s possible that neither Anderson nor Wood will be deemed totally fit for Ranchi because England played the majority of that match in the intense heat on the pitch.

Ollie Robinson might be the lone seamer in what would be his first match for England since the third Ashes Test, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir might be called up after missing the third Test.

Another option, should England believe that scoring runs will be extremely challenging, would be to extend their batting lineup by adding Dan Lawrence, who can also provide some occasional off-spin.

Ben Stokes has 'never seen' anything like the Ranchi pitch.#BBCCricket #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/Id1Wb6GZDw

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) February 21, 2024

Stokes, who bowled in the nets during training on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in November, may have an impact on England’s selection.

At first, Stokes declared he would not bowl on this trip, citing a “pinky promise” he had given to England’s physiotherapist Ben Davies.

However, following the third Test defeat of England, the Durham player hinted at a potential opportunity to bowl in the last two Tests, stating he could bowl at “100%” during practice.

Ben Stokes Started bowling in Ranchi. He bowled for 20 minutes.pic.twitter.com/Fx12XOgwCF

— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) February 21, 2024

After bowling for thirty-five minutes, the thirty-two-year-old had a lengthy talk with team physician Glen Rae.

The captain did not find it surprising that the team received criticism following England’s humiliation at the hands of India in the third Test.

Read More: Kl Rahul Ruled Out And Jasprit Bumrah Rested For 4th Test

As Stokes put it, “It’s sport.” “When something goes well, you receive praise, not when it doesn’t. I’ve been around long enough to know that it’s a part of it, yet we continue.

“Losses like the one from last week may affect the squad more severely than necessary. However, I’m satisfied with how I handled things because I know that what matters is the next game.”

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been rested by India, meaning that 27-year-old Akash Deep will likely make his Test debut.