England men’s cricket team captain Ben Stokes ultimately had the final say, triumphing over the significant criticism he received from Michael Vaughan regarding his choice to bowl first in the opening Test against India. Despite many experts predicting a favorable batting surface, Stokes, after winning the toss, opted to field. Vaughan, in particular, was vocal in his disapproval following India’s strong start.
However, Stokes’ decision was definitively vindicated when England orchestrated a remarkable chase of 371 runs, propelled by a sensational century from Ben Duckett. After securing the victory, Stokes delivered the perfect retort to his detractors.
“It’s a good job Test cricket is played over five days. Imagine thinking that way after day one, before we’ve even had chance to bat on a wicket,” Stokes was quoted as saying on BBC’s Test Match Special.
He further elaborated on his reasoning, stating, “You never know what a wicket is going to play like half an hour before any cricket has been on it. It looked like there was a lot of top moisture on it, it felt like there was. You do first what you think will give you the best chance of winning the game.” Stokes also highlighted the historical behavior of the Headingley pitch, adding, “Headingley does generally quite a lot early on. I thought it was a great chance to potentially nick three or four in the first hour. The opposition are allowed to play well.”
Earlier, Vaughan had expressed his displeasure with England’s decision, admitting he was “staggered” by the tactic against India. “I’m a bit of an old-school traditionalist here at Leeds that, when the sun shines, it’s quite an easy decision, particularly with the build-up to the Test match and it being so dry and so nice,” Michael Vaughan had said on the BBC’s Test Match Special. He concluded his criticism by remarking, “I was staggered… when I heard he was going to bowl first. I thought, traditions have gone out the window.”
Well he responded in a great manner!
