England Test captain Ben Stokes was not a happy man after the team’s defeat at the hands of Team India in the second Test match at Vizag. The Three Lions were tasked to chase a mammoth target of 399, set up by the hosts. However, as it happened, the hosts found a way to bundle out the visitors for 292 and won the game by 106 runs to level the series, with three more Tests to be played.
In the wake of the result, Ben Stokes was unhappy with one decision, which went in favour of India during the run-chase. The veteran felt that there was a technological glitch concerning Zak Crawley’s dismissal, who was batting so well in the second innings. The right-handed batter who was batting on 76 (11 fours, 2 sixes) fell prey to Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling via leg before wicket, which saw England losing a set batsman at the crease in the crucial phase.
Ben Stokes blames technical glitch after Zak Crawley’s dismissal
While the on-field umpire initially down the appeal, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma took the DRS after having a chat with his teammates. Upon reviewing it on the large screen, the third umpire noticed that the ball was pitching in line and the impact was also in line. The ball would go on to hit the leg stump as per the hawkeye and hence the on-field umpire was told to reverse his decision from “not out” to “out”.
After the game, Ben Stokes opined that the technology did go wrong while reviewing Zak Crawley’s mode of dismissal. “My personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion. That’s where I stand on it. Technology in the game is obviously there and everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100 per cent. That’s why we have the ‘umpire’s call’, that’s why it’s in place,” Stokes said after the game.
“So when it’s not 100 per cent, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say ‘I think the technology has got it wrong’. I will say that, but in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes I am not going to say that’s the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted,” the skipper said at the post-match press conference.
The first two games of the five-match Test series came to a close, with both teams winning a game apiece. It remains to be seen how the teams will approach the upcoming Tests. The third Test will kick off on February 15, Thursday at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Virat Kohli who missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons is expected to be back in full swing for the remaining Tests.