 "How memories of Ganguly's shirt swinging at Lord's inspired Jofra's match-deciding spell")
London: Sourav Ganguly’s iconic shirt-swinging at the Lord’s balcony after a famous win over England back in 2002 was Jofra Archer’s inspiration to deliver the game-changing spell against India in the high-pressure third Test here, home skipper Ben Stokes has revealed.
Ganguly had taken off his shirt to celebrate India’s win in the high-voltage NatWest Trophy final and it remains one of the most dramatic moments in international cricket to this date.
On Monday, an inspired Archer removed the dangerous Rishabh Pant with a peach before taking a return catch to dismiss Washington Sundar as India went down by 22 runs despite trying their best to recover from those body blows.
“I just said to him this morning, ‘you know what today is, don’t you?’ So he told me. ‘You know that highlights package of India knocking off 300-odd back in the day with Ganguly (waving shirt).’ “He (Archer) thought that was the World Cup final. He thought that was six years today,” Stokes said after an energy-sapping win.
Interestingly, England scripted their famous win at Lord’s on the same day they had won the 2019 ODI World Cup final on a boundary count-back after the game could not be decided by regulation methods.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHowever, when Stokes reminded Archer about that momentous day six years ago, the pacer thought of the Ganguly moment that happened 17 years ago, mixing the dates of the ICC World Cup final and the NatWest title clash in 2002.
“I was like, no…that World Cup that we won? He was like, ‘oh that one’. He’s an absolute beauty, that boy. I just had the feeling today and that Rishabh Pant wicket was massive in a low run chase,” said Stokes Stokes was very mindful of England’s World Cup win in 2019 on this day.
“We knew that turning up this morning was genuinely the reason why we went with me and Jof (Archer). It felt right in my tummy that Jof was gonna do something this morning to break the game open.
“Gut feel doesn’t always work but those two wickets he got this morning obviously swung the game massively in our favour.” The England captain has supported the rather injury-prone Archer wholeheartedly and they also share a special bond. It was evident on the field in the morning session.
“So he wanted me to come to mid-on and (Brydon) Carsey to go to leg slip so he could talk to me. But I didn’t trust Carsey at leg slip, to be honest,” said Stokes.
Stokes got the player of the match award for leading from the front.
Fresh off an injury comeback, Stokes completed spells of 9.2 overs and 10 overs in his bid to maintain pressure on India.
Despite his workload in the game, Stokes said he would be fine for the fourth Test beginning in Manchester on July 23.
“I’ll be absolutely sound for Manchester. It’s a big break. Obviously, I was pretty tired after Headingley. But, yeah, after we walked off the field there, sort of a whole new level of tiredness hit.
“And it’s obviously different when you’re … I’ve been in games like that before, not as a captain, where I’ve been given the ball to run in and try to bowl the team to victory.
“But then now, adding on the decision making around bowling changes, field placings, how I feel we’re gonna get this win. Obviously, there’s a physical element of bowling in the fourth innings, but then it shouldn’t be underestimated how the emotional and mental tiredness does also get you as well,” he said.
There would always be tension
Stokes was expectedly asked about the heated exchanges and sledging by players of both teams over the course of the game, but he did not read too much into it.
“I think in a big series like this there was always going to be a moment where the two teams were going to clash. I’m all for it as long as it does not cross the line,” he said.
“If you think about it, it’s 22 people out there playing for their country. The highest honour you can have in our sport. So, you can understand that sometimes emotions and tensions can get quite high,” he added.
He also does not expect players to be particularly affected by the on-field skirmishes.
“…I don’t think anyone in the Indian dressing room or anyone in the English dressing room is going to cry themselves to sleep over what was said or done out there. I don’t think it overstepped the line from the India team or from our team,” he said.
“It wasn’t really boiling up…it just happened but it adds to the spectacle of England vs India doesn’t it?,” he signed off.
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