England vs India: Ben Stokes says ‘it’s a good job Test cricket is played over five days’

Captain Ben Stokes said “it is a good job Test cricket is played over five days” following questions over his decision at the toss in England’s epic victory over India.

Stokes opted to field despite ideal batting conditions on the opening day of the first Test at Headingley.

India reached 430-3 in their first innings, but England battled back and completed a superb run chase of 371 late on the fifth day.

“You make a decision and you don’t know what is going to happen,” Stokes told Test Match Special.

“We did what we needed to do in the crucial moments of this game. This win is not down to just the skill, but the attitude of this dressing room.”

Stokes’ decision to field followed a trend in his captaincy. On the 10 occasions England have won the toss in home Tests since Stokes became captain in 2022, they have fielded first on nine occasions.

In those nine matches, they have won seven, lost one and drawn one, the latter a game they probably would have won against Australia at Old Trafford in 2023 had rained not wiped out most of the final two days.

Headingley is also a ground suited to batting second. From the 81 venues that have hosted Tests since 2011, Leeds is the only one that has progressively produced more runs per wicket, innings on innings, throughout a match.

And Stokes was vindicated by victory in the opener to the five-match series against India. England’s pursuit, led by an astonishing 149 from Ben Duckett, was their second-highest in Tests, bettered only by the 378 chased to beat the same opponents at Edgbaston in 2022.