India are 96 runs ahead with eight wickets in hand in the first Test.
Speak about plans, and Ben Stokes probably has a magic wand at his disposal! The English skipper is making it a habit to regularly pick wickets while nothing is happening for the bowlers. In the second innings of the ongoing first Test in Leeds, Stokes pulled off a magnificent fielding change to send debutant Sai Sudharsan packing. The Gujarat Titans’ (GT) opener was looking good on 30 until he flicked a delivery to Zak Crawley at mid-wicket.
The game stands at an interesting point, with India leading by 96 runs with eight wickets in hand at the close of the third day’s play. England got to a blistering 465, leaving India with just a six-run lead. Ollie Pope struck a brilliant century to take England to a brilliant total. But it was the might of Jasprit Bumrah that kept India in the game with a fifer.
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A ball before the dismissal, the fielder at mid-wicket wasn’t placed where he took Sudharsan’s catch. He was a leg slip. Sai Sudharsan flicked an inswinger beautifully off his pads for a boundary. And that’s when Stokes decided to pull Crawley out of that position and place him at short mid-wicket.
He bowled the same delivery, but this time it was much fuller. Seeing the full delivery angling in, the debutant’s eyes lit up, and he went for another flick off his pads. Unfortunately enough for him, he hit it into the air, straight into the hands of Crawley. Crawley and Stokes pointed at each other, indicating that the ploy had worked wonderfully well.
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