Watch: England captain Ben Stokes bowled in the nets ahead of their second Test match against India, from February 2 at Visakhapatnam.
Ben Stokes has been unable to bowl in international cricket since the Lord’s Test match in June 2023 due to a series of injuries. As captain, talismanic batsman and ace fielder, he is one of the team’s most important cricketers, but bowling is also part of his legacy.
However, the absence of Stokes as a bowler did not prevent England from winning Test matches. Since the road test, England have won three of his four matches. But his bowling will definitely add a new dimension.
England came back from a two-goal deficit in the summer of 2023 and managed to level the domestic Ashes. Six months later, she defeated India in the first Test of her five-match series in Hyderabad.
Ahead of the second Test match in Visakhapatnam on February 2, Stokes puts the ball in the net. With no batsmen, Stokes bowled him with a length, taking two steps away.
Although it was far from a perfect run-up, it was Stokes’ bowling after all, and England fans were overjoyed.
Stokes is three wickets shy of the 200 mark in Test cricket. Once he gets there, he will become only the third cricketer after Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis to complete the double with 6,000 runs and 200 wickets.
Watch Ben Stokes bowl in the nets on the eve of the second Test match:
Stokes bowling again. Long way to go. But progress. pic.twitter.com/SfoNqz1eee
– George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) 1. 2024 年 2 月
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