"Haven't been able to keep it going" - Ben Stokes reflects on 'small moments' after IND vs ENG series defeat
England skipper Ben Stokes has admitted that the tourists failed to turn up in the 50-50 moments after a comprehensive series defeat to India. The 32-year-old feels the oppositions must play aggressively to get on top of India, whose bowlers can easily plot their downfall.
England's tour ended with an innings and 64-run defeat in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. With Rohit Sharma and co. amassing 477 in their only innings and taking a 259-run lead, the Englishmen struggled against the spinners. Joe Root top-scored with 84 before being the final wicket to fall as Kuldeep Yadav claimed it.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Stokes conceded India were comfortably the better team. He added that they are determined to correct their shortcomings ahead of the summer.
He said:
"We have been outplayed by the better team of the series. We got so much cricketing coming up, so looking forward to it. When you look at the series as a whole, in those small moments we haven't been able to keep it going. We all know as individuals as to where it all went wrong.
"When India got on top with the ball a lot of men come around the bat and you got to find ways to keep those guys out of play and you need to be positive enough to take those risks and sometimes it could lead to downfall."
Speaking of the positives, the seam-bowling all-rounder named the fairly consistent opening partnership and the young spinners doing well among those.
He said:
"Crawley and Duckett continuing their partnership at the top, and Bashir and Hartley have been really exceptional the whole series. And Root coming into form at the backend is really exciting ahead of our summer."
Zak Crawley emerged as England's highest run-getter in the series, accumulating 407 runs in 10 innings at 40.70. However, the tourists required more of the likes of Stokes and Jonny Bairstow but they delivered underwhelming performances.
"700 wickets for a seamer is quite phenomenal" - Ben Stokes
With James Anderson becoming the third bowler to breach the 700-wicket mark, Stokes lauded the 41-year-old as the fittest cricketer currently.
He said:
"Amazing to be on the field with Jimmy. 700 wickets for a seamer is quite phenomenal, from the day he first started being a cricketer to where he is now, the desire and commitment is still there and he if the fittest cricketer I have ever seen."
England's players will next return to action during the T20I series against Pakistan in May.