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Cricket PlayersJoe Root's batting against spin makes us feel pretty rubbish: Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes’ comments came after Joe Root became the first cricketer to slam a double hundred on his 100th Test match to help England to a commanding position against hosts India in the first Test in Chennai.
The ease with which Joe Root goes about his business against spinners makes all the other England batsmen including him feel ‘pretty rubbish’ said all-rounder Ben Stokes.
Stokes’ comments came after Root became the first cricketer to slam a double hundred on his 100th Test match to help England to a commanding position against hosts India in the first Test in Chennai.
"Yeah, it makes us all feel, you know, pretty rubbish (laughs), the way he, how easy he makes batting look. And yeah, I was quite surprised he ran down the wicket and hit a six to bring up a double (century)," Stokes said during a virtual press conference after Root’s 218 powered England to 555/8 at stumps on Day 2.
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Stokes, who himself scored a fluent 82 off 114 balls, half of England’s batsmen can’t play the way Root does against quality spin bowling.
"He is in phenomenal form and just makes things look very, very easy and the way that he plays spin, dominates spin and it's incredible to watch. I don't think half the England batsmen ever play spin in the way that he does,” Stokes said.
The hard-hitting all-rounder said it is a delight to watch Root bat, who also became the second captain after the legendary Don Bradman to notch up three successive 150-plus scores in Test cricket.
"He's just got options, he has got an option for everything that's thrown at him and yeah, it is just a delight to watch him at the moment," Stokes added about his skipper who is enjoying an incredible run of form.
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Stokes had no qualms in admitting that his team was in a very strong position.
"Yeah, it's nice coming back in with a (knock like that), with a bit time off and now spending some time out in the middle, but all in all I think we're in a very strong position as a team.
"Batting first and after putting ourselves in and being 500 or whatever we are (555/8), still with two wickets remaining (going into) day three is a very strong position," Stokes said.
He said the England team was not at all thinking about the declaration on Saturday evening.
"There were no thoughts whatsoever of a declaration tonight because I'll be stupid if we won the toss and bat first, you just get as many runs as you can out here in India.
"And if we can bat for another hour tomorrow, you know, we would be very happy with that," he added.
India and England are engaged in a four-match Test series, with both teams vying for a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
(With PTI inputs)
