What's new

"I've never seen something like that before": Ben Stokes on the 4th Test pitch vs India at Ranchi

C

Cricket Warrior

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 12, 2023
Runs
14,780
England captain Ben Stokes says he has never seen anything like the pitch for the fourth Test against India.

The surface in Ranchi has cracks running down one side, just outside a right-hander's off stump at one end and a left-hander's off stump at the other.

At 2-1 down in the series, England need to win the game beginning on Friday to force a deciding fifth Test.

"I've never seen something like that before. I have got no idea so I don't know what could happen," said Stokes.

"If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India."

All-rounder Stokes added: "It looked green and grassy up in the changing rooms, but then you go out there it looked different: very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it."

BBC
 
Cricket Warrior said:
England captain Ben Stokes says he has never seen anything like the pitch for the fourth Test against India.

The surface in Ranchi has cracks running down one side, just outside a right-hander's off stump at one end and a left-hander's off stump at the other.

At 2-1 down in the series, England need to win the game beginning on Friday to force a deciding fifth Test.

"I've never seen something like that before. I have got no idea so I don't know what could happen," said Stokes.

"If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India."

All-rounder Stokes added: "It looked green and grassy up in the changing rooms, but then you go out there it looked different: very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it."

BBC
Click to expand...
Poms started to whine .. their whole life is all about either whining or boasting about moral victories..
 
Yet first three England wickets were taken by pacer .pitch is tricky but not like they way England Fans or players are whinning
 
BouncerGuy said:
The pitch for this game looks quite dry. It will produce more cracks and it might happen pretty soon.

--------------------

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760909823623799032
Click to expand...
Your views about this pitch?

9EjxMiu.jpeg
 
LOL, started making noise about the pitch without a single ball being bowled.

The pitch was very good to bat and not much happened on the first day. It may do more as the game progresses, but that's expected on Indian pitches.
 
Eng got the best conditions to bat assuming the pitch does more in the coming days.

Eng also lost initial wickets against high-quality pace and had very little to do with the pitch.
 
Cracking pitch.

India probably have the BEST test pitches going around anywhere in the world these days.
 
AMSS said:
Cracking pitch.

India probably have the BEST test pitches going around anywhere in the world these days.
Click to expand...
Australian pitches are still the gold standard in my opinion but you're not far off I think. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh pitches have always been terrible. England, New Zealand and South Africa have deteriorated a fair bit recently especially when India plays. India hasn't played in Pakistan so haven't really observed their pitches but based on scores and results, they seem like they're going for roads.
 
This is a very special Indian technique to prepare pitches dry on outside and solid in the middle (at times only certain patches dry depending upon the opposition team has more lefties or righties) to help our spinners Ashwin and Jadeja keep accumulating easy records but like it happened during wc final, this time also specialised pitch will backfire. With England already over 300, and likely to get 20-30 more, it will be English spinners who will enjoy this weird pitch.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240223_210810.jpg
    IMG_20240223_210810.jpg
    679.9 KB · Views: 10
Both teams have to bat on it
I get the feeling that when India bat, their batters will make it look like a flat belter of a pitch ahah
 
Even in domestic this pitch didn't produce any result i heard. Wonder if it is going to be like that. But if you are loose with your shots you will pay the price. Root was very tight with his defense. He made less errors compared to the top order.
 
So the pitch has started to play some tricks on the minds of people.

---------------------------

Alastair Cook on TNT Sports:

"What has really impressed me about England is the way they've hung in there. They've showed the patience required.

"Right at the end of the session, we've started to see a few more tricks from this pitch, which means this game could suddenly move forward quite quickly."
 
The Indian batting coach had already mentioned before the match that there would be cracks on the pitch.

qMUeQAi.jpg
 
Last edited:
Michael Atherton weighed in on the much-talked-about Ranchi pitch. He suggested that the track played much better after the lunch session, as he spoke to a sports channel:

"It played better than it looked. It was significantly more difficult in the morning when the ball was new after lunch. When the ball got a bit older, it kind of flattened out really. And the danger was the ball that kept low. Ben Stokes got one of those at the point of lunch. But generally, when the ball got older after lunch, it flattened out. It was quite difficult to score because the bounce was low, but it wasn't that threatening. So I think the new ball is very important."
 
AAli98 said:
Indians & produce a dodgy pitch?? Never
Click to expand...
Ironic coming from pakistanis when you produced absolute highways to protect babar's average but still got pounded to submission.

This is the typical rona dhona from jealous fans who support one of the worst teams in world
 
Statpadder Inc said:
Ironic coming from pakistanis when you produced absolute highways to protect babar's average but still got pounded to submission.

This is the typical rona dhona from jealous fans who support one of the worst teams in world
Click to expand...
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
 
AAli98 said:
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
Click to expand...
On a ptich like this you think Pakistan will survive more than 15 overs?
 
AAli98 said:
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
Click to expand...
India has won 2 test series in a row in australia, a place where pak has been getting pounded since the clinton administartion .

Losing finals is bad, but not as bad as being humiliated by zimbabwe and afghanistan.

Kohli must be superhuman to average 60 on these pitches that turn from day 1.

I know why you are jealous of ashwin though, the bhesst bowling attack in the world has never produced a single bowler who has taken 500 wickets like him. :misbah
 
AAli98 said:
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
Click to expand...
Pakistan are not god enough to take advantage of any pitch. Every pitch will look generous to the opposition.
 
So much focus on the pitch when two teams have scored around 650 runs together in their first inning.
 
AAli98 said:
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
Click to expand...
Pakistan prepares flat pitches to ensure Babar Azam gets easy hundreds and get the ICC No 1 ranking

And that's why King Babar struggles when he plays outside Pakistan !
 
NishanKonar said:
Pakistan prepares flat pitches to ensure Babar Azam gets easy hundreds and get the ICC No 1 ranking

And that's why King Babar struggles when he plays outside Pakistan !
Click to expand...
Indians get shocked when talking about pitches (they’ve got something to hide) here’s a history lesson:

In the 80s Indian pitches used to be like this by default, swing on first day, flat track on day 2 and spin friendly from day 4 afternoon. That was a typical Indian pitch until Azhar and then MSD changed it to these dustbowls.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Stokes poor show continues with bat.

On top class sporting wickets this series, his numbers are :-

70, 6
47, 11
41, 15
3, 4

197 runs at average of 24.6. A failure with bat and worst performer in the top 6.
 
AAli98 said:
Indians get shocked when talking about pitches (they’ve got something to hide) here’s a history lesson:

In the 80s Indian pitches used to be like this by default, swing on first day, flat track on day 2 and spin friendly from day 4 afternoon. That was a typical Indian pitch until Azhar and then MSD changed it to these dustbowls.
Click to expand...

I don't know why some Pakistani fans get over the wickets India prepare for its home games. It's not like Pakistan are even playing in India these days or have been for the past 17 years.

Or is it just a coping mechanism to soothe yourselves from the fact that you can't win a series at home to save your lives but India maintain 100% record since 12 freaking years
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, speaking to Sky Sports News:

“You’d say, on this pitch, anything above 220 to 230 would be tough, but who knows with this surface? The scores have actually been pretty high, so this third innings becomes absolutely crucial.”​
 
Stokes has been rattled in this series.

Bazball exposed, his captaincy exposed, his batting exposed. His own conviction and faith in Bazball also exposed.

On top of that, him and some of his teammates have made some of the worst statements you could hear.

@Forum363
 
Stokes has been crybaby entire series.

Crying about pitches.

Crying about umpiring to put pressure on them.

He should focus on his batting technique than on all this.

Continues to bat like tailender.
 
AAli98 said:
Pak is the only generous team that prepares pitches to suit the opposition hence get pounded.

India reach finals by default producing rank turners from day 1 & then get caught with there pants down in finals.

That’s why chandran ashwins 500 wickets are mere 500 run outs. Guy can’t even make the away playing xi
Click to expand...

Not Ashwin's fault that the team has a Jadeja and Kuldeep.

And India won in Australia. Drew in England. Did you miss that?
 
Buffet said:
So much focus on the pitch when two teams have scored around 650 runs together in their first inning.
Click to expand...
Actually there is a method you have to use to play on this pitch. You should be prdominantly on the frontfoot here with bat. Going back is a recipe for disaster. You have to play with loose hand if you are uncertain about the length while on frontfoot. Some batsmen played with ease.
 
Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sunil Gavaskar said that he has seen cracks in the pitches of Australian stadiums like Perth and Brisbane but if anything like that happens in India, it comes under a lot of spotlight.

Gavaskar's comments came in the wake of major controversy surrounding the pitch being used in the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi. Several England cricket team players have spoken about the surface and the cracks have become a major topic of discussion. However, during commentary on Day 3, Gavaskar said that he has seen the ball bounce dangerously due to the cracks in Perth but anything like that in India comes with added discussion and criticism from experts.

“I have seen cracks in the pitches of Perth and Brisbane. When the ball hits the crack in Perth, it goes very viciously past your head. But then nothing happens. You got to play that. You got to show your gumption and guts. But when it happens in India, oh my god, all hell breaks loose,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gavaskar suggested that India captain Rohit Sharma should allow Ravichandran Ashwin to lead the team out on the field in the final Test in Dharamsala, to honour the senior off-spinner in his milestone 100th match.

The 37-year-old Ashwin is playing in his 99th Test in the fourth match here against England and returned with figures of 5/51 in the visitors' second innings, his 35th five-wicket haul in the longest format.

"India win tomorrow, and you go to Dharamshala (for fifth and final Test), I just hope that Rohit allows you to lead the team out to the field. That'll be a wonderful gesture, honour for all that you have done for Indian cricket," Gavaskar said while speaking to Ashwin on Jio Cinema after the end of the third day's play.

To that, Ashwin replied he would be happy if his presence in the team lasts longer.

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
"Sunny bhai, you are being too generous, thanks so much. However, expectations about all these things, I think I am well past all that. But genuinely saying, I am enjoying every single moment I am being with this team," Ashwin said.

Source: NDTV
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Pakistan are not god enough to take advantage of any pitch. Every pitch will look generous to the opposition.
Click to expand...
I'm sure Pakistan will even struggle or may even loose to Bangladesh on those flat pitches let alone sporting ones
 
For all the so called postivity, play cricket right way etc.. the excuses from England have been pretty poor. At the half way stage of each test the games were in balance.

England contributed to their own downfall.

Instead whinging about umpires call, state of the pitch etc (which in this series, to be fare India put up 4 very good sporting surfaces to play on)

It's been almost a diversion, tactic to England own self-inflicted downfall
 
4 tests, and 4 very good pitches.

Pacers, spinners, and batsmen all could do well if they played well.
 
Batsmen with skill, technique, confidence made runs. Batsmen lacking them were indifferent. Bowlers who did basics succeeded.
 
Stokes should stop shooting off his mouth - he is now looking stupid whinging about the pitch even before a single ball was bowled. Infact the pitches have been very fair to both teams throughout this whole series so far- very well done to the Indian curators!
 
Stokes averages 28 in Asia after 25 tests, one 100. His compatriot Root averages close to 60 with the same filters, past English greats like Cook and KP averaged in high 40s and 50s, with several high impact 100s and match/series winning efforts. Fault lies within, Stokes should introspect and try to improve his game on Asian decks, especially against spin. Now that he is playing as a specialist batsman, onus is on him, he has been central to all English middle order collapses this series.
 
Mamoon said:
What is the excuse this time around?

@James @Markhor @Forum363 @160KPH
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I feel our discussion about Bazball is no longer very useful. Your standard appears to be wether or not Stokes and McCullum have already turned England into the greatest Test team ever who can beat India at home - something no team has done in quite some time - while my standard is how much have Stokes and McCullum improved the England Test team compared to the end of Root’s captaincy.
 
160KPH said:
Unfortunately I feel our discussion about Bazball is no longer very useful. Your standard appears to be wether or not Stokes and McCullum have already turned England into the greatest Test team ever who can beat India at home - something no team has done in quite some time - while my standard is how much have Stokes and McCullum improved the England Test team compared to the end of Root’s captaincy.
Click to expand...
Do you honestly see an improvement between pre and post Bazball implementation?

Rolling over mediocre teams on flat wickets is not the comparison. I bet, England could have rolled over Pakistan in Pakistan even in the non-Bazball era. I compare this team with the team that toured India in 2021 and honestly feel that not much has changed. Joe Root was exceptional back then, now you have multiple bits and pieces players playing cameos with no change in score line. Another test will be England performance in the Ashes, you think this team will have any chance against the mighty Australians?
 
160KPH said:
Unfortunately I feel our discussion about Bazball is no longer very useful. Your standard appears to be wether or not Stokes and McCullum have already turned England into the greatest Test team ever who can beat India at home - something no team has done in quite some time - while my standard is how much have Stokes and McCullum improved the England Test team compared to the end of Root’s captaincy.
Click to expand...
Yes, they have improved so much that they failed to win the Ashes at home and got hammered 4-1 in India, the exact score line as 2021. Bazball has proved to be a big scam.
 
Too much over reaction for not doing well in India. Even with missing many players, India is a top class team. Doing well in India can't be the benchmark.

Yes, Pakistan is a poor team but Pakistan got whitwahsed first time in history at home. Some credit goes to style of cricket played by Eng. Aus also played on those same dead pitches and and won one out of 3 tests.

Ignoring comments by Eng team, I actually enjoyed the first 4 tests.
 
Mamoon said:
What is the excuse this time around?

@James @Markhor @Forum363 @160KPH
Click to expand...

Don’t understand the tag — I do not recall being a regular excuse maker.

England I think had their opportunities in the series but they weren’t ruthless or good enough to make the most of these openings, so have been beaten out of sight in the end.

Now we have the traditional English performance in a dead rubber at the end of a difficult tour, where they aren’t mentally strong enough to compete in the match, can’t hold their nerve with the bat & just want to get on the plane home.

Assuming that’s how this game develops, which looks likely, then this “final Test problem” is a longstanding and deep rooted problem with England teams overseas going back for decades and is unrelated to the current regime.
 
Mockingbird said:
Do you honestly see an improvement between pre and post Bazball implementation?

Rolling over mediocre teams on flat wickets is not the comparison. I bet, England could have rolled over Pakistan in Pakistan even in the non-Bazball era. I compare this team with the team that toured India in 2021 and honestly feel that not much has changed. Joe Root was exceptional back then, now you have multiple bits and pieces players playing cameos with no change in score line. Another test will be England performance in the Ashes, you think this team will have any chance against the mighty Australians?
Click to expand...
Before Joe Root resigned, England had won 1 out of 17 Test matches. England were not even beating the mediocre teams. Since then, they have had one of the better W/L ratios.

Also, they did not just roll over bad teams. Since Stokes/McCullum took over they beat India 1-0 at home and they also drew the Ashes at home. They would have won that series against Australia if were not for rain. I think it is a bit unfair to declare the whole thing a failure based on one series in India, where they were also missing their main spinner and future superstar batsmen who has been one of the best performers during Bazball - Harry Brook. Most teams lose in India and even Australia have only won one Test match in each series when touring India on the last two tours.

The way I see BazBall is that so far they have made the most out of some pretty average Test players - batsmen who average in the 30s - and a spin attack with non existent experience and one of the worst Test teams into the world into a competitive one. If they want to improve forward, they will need to have Harry Brook return, probably unearth another batsmen or two, and their new bowlers to either continue to improve or find new bowlers.
 
Mamoon said:
Yes, they have improved so much that they failed to win the Ashes at home and got hammered 4-1 in India, the exact score line as 2021. Bazball has proved to be a big scam.
Click to expand...
The Test team that won only 1 out of 17 Test matches before Joe Root resigned, managed to draw a Test series against Australia at home - a series they would have won were it not for rain - and then they won the same number of Test matches in India that the great Australian side has won in their last 2 tours of India. They also beat India in the single match in England that they played since McCullum/Stokes took over.

Bazball turned a horrible team into a pretty decent one. If they want to go from pretty decent to great they need Harry Brook back, find one or two more batsmen, as well as to either unearth some more bowling talent or for Archer to return and the current group to continue improving.
 
160KPH said:
Before Joe Root resigned, England had won 1 out of 17 Test matches. England were not even beating the mediocre teams. Since then, they have had one of the better W/L ratios.

Also, they did not just roll over bad teams. Since Stokes/McCullum took over they beat India 1-0 at home and they also drew the Ashes at home. They would have won that series against Australia if were not for rain. I think it is a bit unfair to declare the whole thing a failure based on one series in India, where they were also missing their main spinner and future superstar batsmen who has been one of the best performers during Bazball - Harry Brook. Most teams lose in India and even Australia have only won one Test match in each series when touring India on the last two tours.

The way I see BazBall is that so far they have made the most out of some pretty average Test players - batsmen who average in the 30s - and a spin attack with non existent experience and one of the worst Test teams into the world into a competitive one. If they want to improve forward, they will need to have Harry Brook return, probably unearth another batsmen or two, and their new bowlers to either continue to improve or find new bowlers.
Click to expand...
They beat India at home in a one off Test when India was without Rohit not just as opener but also as captain. Bumrah was the stand in captain and he has no captaincy experience.

The only reason England drew the Ashes was because Lyon was injured after the second Test. When he played, Australia were 2-0 up and Bazball went for a hike.

Also, let’s not forget that it was Stokes’ suicidal declaration that enabled Australia to win the first Test so there is no need to blame rain.

People are also missing something very important - Ben Stokes the player no longer merits a place in the playing XI and if his captaincy is protecting him from getting shafted, England have got a serious problem.

Stokes looks washed up. He scores runs once in a blue moon, he doesn’t bowl anymore at all and when he moves around he looks like a walking injury.

His body is falling apart. At least Joe Root is still there best batsman, still super fit and still with many years in the tank.
 
Mamoon said:
They beat India at home in a one off Test when India was without Rohit not just as opener but also as captain. Bumrah was the stand in captain and he has no captaincy experience.

The only reason England drew the Ashes was because Lyon was injured after the second Test. When he played, Australia were 2-0 up and Bazball went for a hike.

Also, let’s not forget that it was Stokes’ suicidal declaration that enabled Australia to win the first Test so there is no need to blame rain.

People are also missing something very important - Ben Stokes the player no longer merits a place in the playing XI and if his captaincy is protecting him from getting shafted, England have got a serious problem.

Stokes looks washed up. He scores runs once in a blue moon, he doesn’t bowl anymore at all and when he moves around he looks like a walking injury.

His body is falling apart. At least Joe Root is still there best batsman, still super fit and still with many years in the tank.
Click to expand...
Anyone who looks at the series results can see pretty clear how drastic the difference is. They lost 3-1 to India, 1-0 to New Zealand, 4-0 to Australia, and then 1-0 to West Indies. They literally lost 4 series in a row. Now this is the 8th series they're playing and it is going to be the first one that they lose. But that is not even that surprising considering almost every team loses when they tour India.

Talking about single injuries is a weak argument considering even in this series England were missing their best performing Test batsmen during this time and their future superstar Harry Brook as well as their primary spinner.
 
160KPH said:
Anyone who looks at the series results can see pretty clear how drastic the difference is. They lost 3-1 to India, 1-0 to New Zealand, 4-0 to Australia, and then 1-0 to West Indies. They literally lost 4 series in a row. Now this is the 8th series they're playing and it is going to be the first one that they lose. But that is not even that surprising considering almost every team loses when they tour India.

Talking about single injuries is a weak argument considering even in this series England were missing their best performing Test batsmen during this time and their future superstar Harry Brook as well as their primary spinner.
Click to expand...
Lyon’s absence has a much bigger impact on Australia’s bowling than Brook’s absence does on England’s batting because Lyon is a very experienced player and a proven performer.

Brook is highly talented but he is still raw and circumspect vs spin. He would have struggled on this tour while Lyon’s was Australia leading wicket taker in the first two Tests.

Root had some tough series before he was hounded out. Bazball will get whitewashed in Australia as well and India actually has a really strong chance of beating them in England over a full series. That one off game with a makeshift captain doesn’t mean much.

Bazball has been exposed and the fact that Stokes looks finished as a player is compounding England’s problems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Is winning a Test series in India bigger than winning the Ashes for England?
Replies
31
Views
1K
James
James
B
  • Locked
Joe Root's (106*) guides England to 302/7 at stumps on Day 1 of 4th Test against India in Ranchi
3 4 5
Replies
376
Views
8K
jnaveen1980
J
The Bald Eagle
"I won't say that we have misread the pitch, but I would say that the pitch didn't behave how we wanted it to": Azhar Mahmood
Replies
25
Views
587
RidiculousMan
RidiculousMan
The Bald Eagle
  • Poll
ICC rates Newlands pitch for the 2nd Test between South Africa and India as "unsatisfactory" [Post#103]
2
Replies
118
Views
4K
FearlessRoar
FearlessRoar
C
  • Locked
Ben Duckett's spectacular 133* steers England to 207/2, trailing India (445) by 238 runs at stumps on Day 2
2
Replies
140
Views
3K
Cricket Warrior
C
Back
Top