- today
After England’s Lord’s Test win, skipper Ben Stokes addressed the media, touching on the heated clash with India, Ravindra Jadeja’s intensity, and key match moments. Stokes also recalled a funny moment with Jofra Archer involving Sourav Ganguly, lightening the mood post a tense Test encounter.
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00:00Yeah, no, Zou knew that turning up this morning, and generally that was the reason as to why we went.
00:05It felt right in my tummy that Joff was going to do something this morning to break the game open.
00:13Yeah, your gut feel doesn't always work, but those two wickets you got this morning, you know, obviously swung the game massively in our favour.
00:21Obviously you're knackered, but can you tell us how it feels to go deep three times in a row
00:28to the last session of the Test Match and beat Sitting Here 2-1 up?
00:35I don't know, bowl 45 overs in the Test Match and win.
00:42That's probably the best comparison I could do.
00:46Yeah, pretty cooked.
00:48Obviously a big day today, but I thought the game was on the line.
00:52And, yeah, there's not many things that can't get you...
01:00Sorry, bowling to win the Test Match for your country on day five, however you wake up in the morning,
01:05if that doesn't get you going or, you know, gets you up for going out there and putting in for your team,
01:11then I don't know what will.
01:12And can you tell us about the chat at tea?
01:16Obviously Bash had been off the field, he'd barely played a part in the game for a couple of days,
01:21he wasn't out there doing all those hard yards.
01:23What was the chat between you working out if he was ready to step into the game and win it?
01:28Yeah, every time I look round at the bench and ask for a drink,
01:31I just sent Bash's little head peeking through there, like, ready to go.
01:36We were obviously told by the match officials that he could stay off the field when he wasn't bowling,
01:40but if he was bowling, he had to stay out there.
01:43And, look, we obviously threw a lot at their batting line-up today with Seam.
01:48So, yeah, just breaking that sort of flow of the game up with Spin every now and again
01:53was obviously something I was going to go to.
01:55And, yeah, starting off the session with Joff and Spin was briefly spoken about.
02:02We all thought it was a good option.
02:03And, yeah, it was great that Bash was able to get that last wicket with, you know,
02:10what he had to deal with this week.
02:14What did you think of the tensions between the two teams?
02:20And did you think at any point that it crossed the line or not?
02:22No, I think in big series like this, there was always going to be a time and a moment
02:28where the two teams were going to clash.
02:32But, you know, I'm all for it.
02:37I don't think it really stepped over the line.
02:40Look, I think at the end of it, when you think about it,
02:42there's 22 people out there playing for their country.
02:46It's the highest honour that you can do in your, you know, in our given sport.
02:54So, you can understand that sometimes the emotions and the tension can get quite high.
02:58But I don't think there's anyone in the Indian dressing room
03:00or anyone in the English dressing room that's going to bed, you know,
03:04going to cry themselves to sleep over what was said or done out there.
03:08You know, sometimes it gets a little bit over-egged, I think,
03:11from an outsider's point of view.
03:12I don't think it overstepped the line from the Indian team or from our team.
03:19But, yeah, there was always going to be a moment in a series like this
03:21when it was going to implode.
03:23It wasn't really boiling up to it, it just sort of happened.
03:26But, look, it adds to the spectacle of England v India, doesn't it?
03:30We'll go Vish and then Stefan.
03:33Hi, Ben.
03:33You mentioned there about gut feel with Joffrey this morning.
03:36Did you say anything to him before you went out there
03:38to almost remind him of stuff six years ago?
03:41I just said to him this morning, I said,
03:42you know what today is, though, yeah?
03:44And it was that...
03:47You know, that highlight package from, I think,
03:51when India knocked off, like, 300-odd back in the day
03:54when Ganguly, he thought that was a World Cup final as well.
03:59He thought that was six years today.
04:01Genuine.
04:01And I was like, no, that World Cup that we won?
04:07He was like, oh, that one.
04:09Gosh!
04:10It was an absolute beauty, that boy.
04:12But, yeah, nah, just had that feeling.
04:16And, yeah, those two wickets today,
04:18that Rishabh Pan one was obviously massive
04:19in a low sort of, you know, fourth-innings run chase.
04:23Just off the back of it,
04:25you just called him the beauty there.
04:27It didn't look like you were very kind to him last night.
04:29Can I ask what that back-and-forth was?
04:31And it looked like he was going to try to apologise to you
04:34as you were walking off.
04:35Which one?
04:36Just yesterday when, I think,
04:37you kind of remonstrated when he was a square leg.
04:39I think you wanted a single instead of two.
04:41And then, yeah, can I just ask about that?
04:43So he wanted me to come to mid-on
04:46and Cassie to go to leg slip
04:48so he could talk to me.
04:50But I didn't trust Cassie at leg slip, to be honest.
04:53Yeah.
04:54And was there any, like, did you, like,
04:56talk to him about it at stumps?
04:58Because obviously, like, I suppose
05:00he's not necessarily used to you captaining
05:02in this era because, you know,
05:04you're, like, a field is up
05:05and it looks like he's going to cover at certain points.
05:09Yeah, have you been, like, bringing him up to speed?
05:11Honestly, that whole thing was
05:13he wanted me to come to mid-on
05:14so we could chat about what he's trying to do.
05:16Yeah.
05:17That's quite sweet, though.
05:18Yeah.
05:19Chris, yeah?
05:21A couple of years ago,
05:22there was obviously the Ashes test
05:23with the Johnny Stump in.
05:24You guys seemed to feed off that
05:26when you got back into the series.
05:29The tension between the sides in this game,
05:32did it give you guys an extra edge?
05:34You seemed really up for it
05:35after what happened on Saturday night.
05:38I don't think so.
05:40I think sometimes it just brings out,
05:42you know, another side of a team.
05:45Obviously, when you're watching
05:47your two opening batters go out there for an over
05:49and you're seeing 11 guys
05:51all come at you to your opposition,
05:53I think that's going to bring out another side.
05:56And, yeah, as I said before,
05:57like, it just sort of brought out
05:59a bit of tension from both teams.
06:01I mean, it's great to watch.
06:05But, yeah, when we came in last night
06:06after taking that last wicket,
06:08that long room was absolutely raucous.
06:13I generally think it was louder
06:14when we walked back in after that
06:15Ashes incident.
06:18But that was more cheers and excitement
06:21last night as opposed to,
06:24yeah, the boos coming out
06:28when the Australia game was hit.
06:30And how bad is Bash?
06:31Are we likely to see him again in this series?
06:33Yeah, it's not good news for Bash.
06:39Very disappointing for us as a team
06:41and for him.
06:43Yeah, big shame.
06:44But I think, you know,
06:45the courage that he showed
06:47to go out there and bat at the end for us
06:48and willing to sit there on the bench
06:52waiting for his moment to come on and bowl,
06:55you know, I think just proves, I think,
06:57how much it means to everyone
06:59who gets the opportunity
07:01to put the shirt on
07:02that, you know,
07:03not even a couple of breaks
07:06is going to stop anyone getting out there.
07:09Chris, Adam and Emily,
07:10two on this side here, please.
07:12Go ahead.
07:13Ben's been quite a few special moments
07:15to this team over the past three years or so,
07:17but I just wondered,
07:19does this win rank as one of your most satisfying
07:21as captain?
07:22Um, I don't know.
07:29Like, I think, for me, like,
07:35winning on day five by 22 runs like we did
07:38is probably one of the most subdued celebrations
07:39I've ever been on, letting them win.
07:42Yeah.
07:44Just didn't have a lot to give,
07:45to be honest, there with the celebrations.
07:48So it's a weird one.
07:49I mean, obviously, it's a great game.
07:51It's a close game.
07:51You'd think I should be saying yes,
07:53but it's just quite hard to
07:55quite get me head around it at the moment,
07:58if that makes sense,
07:58just because I'm,
08:00yeah, I've obviously, you know,
08:01put a lot in over the last two days.
08:04So when you're physically and emotionally tired,
08:07it's hard to, I don't know,
08:11properly feel that.
08:12I reckon in two days' time,
08:13I'll be pretty pumped.
08:15But yeah, just pretty knackered at the moment,
08:17to be honest,
08:17but obviously very happy that we've managed
08:18to get the win.
08:19I heard you say on TV,
08:21that you're probably going to spend
08:22the next four days in bed.
08:24Yeah.
08:25Just check in, like,
08:27you're pretty confident
08:28you're going to be up at it
08:30and bang up for Manchester.
08:32Oh yeah, I mean,
08:32absolutely sound for Manchester.
08:33It's a big break.
08:35Obviously,
08:35I was pretty tired after Headingley.
08:36But yeah,
08:39after we walked off the field there,
08:41sort of,
08:42whole new level of tiredness hit.
08:46Look,
08:46and it's obviously different when you're,
08:48I've been in games like that before,
08:50not as a captain,
08:51you know,
08:52where I've been given the ball to run in
08:53and try and bowl the team to victory.
08:55But then now,
08:56obviously,
08:57adding on to the decision-making
09:00around bowling changes,
09:02field placings,
09:02how I feel we're going to get this win.
09:05You know,
09:05obviously there's the physical element
09:06of bowling in the fourth innings,
09:07but then,
09:08yeah,
09:09shouldn't be underestimated
09:10how the emotional
09:12and mental tiredness
09:16does also get you as well.
09:19Adam and Emma,
09:20we'll finish the two here.
09:22Hi Ben.
09:22You've obviously shown massive belief in Bash
09:24and he's had a tough series,
09:26a tough week.
09:27How nice was that
09:27just for his confidence
09:28and assuming we're not going to see him again
09:30the rest of the series
09:31is a good way to finish?
09:33Yeah,
09:33I don't think it's,
09:34like,
09:36confidence is anything to worry about with Bash.
09:38He's very confident with his inability.
09:39He's very confident
09:40and comfortable within this team.
09:43And,
09:43but look,
09:44I think what an amazing feeling for him
09:45to be able to take that wicket there.
09:49You know,
09:49and obviously with his hand in the state
09:51that it's in,
09:52amazing.
09:54Just,
09:56yeah,
09:56very proud of the way that he went about
09:59the rest of the week
10:00after having to come off the field.
10:03I think there would be
10:04a lot of people
10:05who might not necessarily
10:06have been
10:07brave enough
10:09to go out there
10:10and face,
10:10you know,
10:11Bumrah
10:11and then also
10:14put himself up for,
10:15you know,
10:15wanting to get out there
10:16and bowl
10:16and help his team.
10:19Last two here.
10:21I just want to ask that,
10:23how much
10:24bowler Ben Stokes
10:25listened to Captain Ben Stokes
10:26when he was,
10:27you know,
10:27he did it in the seven
10:28or was in the trot,
10:28eight or was in the trot.
10:30They kept showing us
10:31Brendan McClane's face.
10:32He was just trying to
10:33send someone
10:34to just pull you out,
10:35you know,
10:35in Saudi.
10:36So,
10:37you know,
10:38they were always showing us.
10:39So,
10:39is there a communication
10:40between the Captain Ben Stokes
10:41and the other Ben Stokes
10:42when you were,
10:43you know,
10:44continuously coming up
10:45to spell something?
10:45Are you trying to say
10:47who you've got
10:47little man on my shoulder
10:48or something?
10:50No,
10:50I think,
10:51look,
10:51obviously yesterday,
10:53yeah,
10:56it came down just to,
10:57but there was more cricket
10:58to be played.
10:59Today there wasn't.
11:01Game was on the line
11:02and that obviously
11:04is a completely different
11:05element and aspect
11:06to what it was last night.
11:07Obviously put a big shift
11:08in yesterday
11:09and yeah,
11:14today was sort of,
11:18it was going to be my decision
11:19when I stopped bowling.
11:20As soon as I felt like
11:22I was not the person
11:24to break this game open
11:25or take the wicket,
11:26that's when I decided,
11:27right,
11:27enough's enough.
11:28Change,
11:28change the bowlers up
11:30because,
11:31look,
11:31although I felt threatening
11:32for most of the day,
11:33when batters are in,
11:35they feel more comfortable
11:36against whoever it is.
11:37So yeah,
11:39obviously changing
11:39who you bring on
11:41and giving the batter
11:43a sort of new,
11:44I don't know,
11:46new bowler to line up
11:47to think about facing.
11:49That was sort of
11:49the decision today,
11:50but yeah,
11:50I was,
11:51yeah,
11:53trying to bowl
11:54and win a game
11:55for my team.
11:56Last one,
11:57Mike, please.
11:58Last two or three years,
11:59Ben,
12:00we've obviously
12:00celebrated a lot
12:01of blazing hitting
12:02and quite rightly so,
12:04but in games like this,
12:06does it make you
12:07appreciate even more
12:08the measured approach
12:09of someone like Root?
12:11Top score in both innings,
12:12face most balls
12:13in both England innings
12:15and he must have
12:16actually honours
12:18brought to himself
12:18in the dressing room
12:19now,
12:19isn't he?
12:20He should do,
12:21definitely.
12:21Else is ninth,
12:22is it?
12:22Or eighth,
12:22hundred?
12:23Eighth.
12:25Yeah,
12:25he seems to be doing
12:25the first man to do
12:27this a lot for England
12:28at the moment.
12:29Just,
12:29it's amazing to be
12:30in a dressing room
12:31with greatness.
12:32We are,
12:33we've known each other
12:34since we were like
12:3412,
12:3513 years old
12:35so to be still playing
12:36for England together
12:37is pretty amazing.
12:39He's still the same
12:39old Joe Root
12:40that he was
12:40back in the day
12:41and I think
12:45the way in which
12:47that this whole game
12:49played out
12:50scoring freely
12:52was very,
12:52very tough
12:53and it wasn't
12:55a wicket
12:55that you felt
12:56like you could
12:57actually get
12:57huge value
12:58for your shots
13:00so it was about
13:01biding your time
13:02and just
13:02taking almost
13:05your runs
13:05as they came
13:08if that makes sense
13:08and obviously
13:10Rooty's
13:11the best batter
13:13in the world
13:14in all conditions
13:16in my opinion.
13:18He read the situation
13:19very,
13:19very well
13:20as did
13:20I thought
13:21Oli Pope as well.
13:22It was very clear
13:22that it wasn't going
13:23to be one of those
13:23wickets where you could
13:24play those big drives
13:26on the up
13:26or get out of the ball
13:27because of how slow
13:28it was
13:29and obviously
13:30when the ball
13:30went a little bit
13:32softer
13:32it became even harder
13:33but then when
13:35it came to batting
13:37in the third innings
13:38it was a completely
13:39different game
13:39with that new ball
13:40it was an interesting
13:43test match
13:44to be a part of
13:45as a batter
13:45with the amount
13:47of changes
13:47that the wicket
13:48threw at you
13:48and even again
13:50in our third innings
13:51we honestly felt
13:53that 190 runs
13:54was going to be
13:54very, very tough
13:55to chase down
13:56because of how
13:56that wicket
13:57had changed
13:57the invariable bounce
13:58some keeping low
13:59some going through
14:00the top
14:00so yeah
14:02we were actually
14:02very confident
14:03that we had
14:04had a good score
14:04but we knew
14:05we'd have to bowl well
14:06and yeah
14:12I'm so glad I was whole
14:12and next time
14:12we had an open
14:13and then
14:13first time
14:13to
14:28and next time
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