Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
While England continue to grapple in the Dharamshala Test, England’s assistant coach Jeetan Patel hailed Ben Stokes’ magical delivery to dismiss Rohit Sharma on Day 2 as if it was destined to happen. Patel praised Stokes and labelled him as a ‘freak’ for his exceptional talent. The England Test captain, who had been sidelined from bowling after the Ashes due to a knee injury, returned to action post-surgery last year.
After a wicketless first session for England on Friday in Dharamsala, Stokes took the ball after lunch. It was a momentous occasion as he hadn’t bowled a single delivery in a Test since the 2023 Ashes. However, his first ball of the day was a peach, swinging away from a good length to dismantle India captain’s off stump. Patel marvelled at the stunning dismissal, which left not just Rohit but also Stokes’ teammates awestruck on the field.
“He’s (Stokes) a freak. It was almost written in the stars that he was going to bowl a jaffa first up and get Rohit Sharma out who was on 100. We all know how we can round our attack out, especially in conditions like these where you’ve usually got two spinners, two seamers and then you want your third in Stokesy,” Patel said as quoted by Business Standard.
“It was nice to see him back at the crease but we’ve just got to be careful we don’t push him too far, it’s still early days for him. I’m sure he’ll rest up tonight, get some ice on it and see where it fronts tomorrow. A little bit of amazement, a little bit written in the stars, a lot of people laughing. It’s quite funny because he came on to bowl when the English crowds are waking up – they’re flicking on the TV and the first thing they see is Ben Stokes bowling a really good delivery to Rohit Sharma,” he added.
Also Read: IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma does not take field on day 3 of Dharamshala Test due to stiff back
That’s the beauty of having unscarred players in the team: Patel
The England assistant coach commended the resilient spirit of young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who battled through a stomach bug to shine in Dharamsala. Despite his health concerns, Bashir claimed three crucial wickets on Day 2 against India. He dismissed Devdutt Padikkal (65), Sarfaraz Khan (56), and Dhruv Jurel (15), adding to his dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) on Day 1. Patel lauded Bashir’s determination and contribution to England’s performance.
“That’s the beauty of having unscarred players in the team, that’s a tough day for Bash or anyone playing Test cricket. But he hasn’t had the scars and that’s exciting to have because he bowls the next ball with energy whether it’s gone for four, six, dot, wicket, it doesn’t matter,” he concluded.