Ben Stokes expresses surprise and concern over unusual Ranchi pitch conditions
England captain Ben Stokes has raised eyebrows with his remarks on the peculiar Ranchi pitch ahead of the fourth Test against India.
FollowEngland captain Ben Stokes injected an element of intrigue into discussions about the Ranchi pitch ahead of the fourth Test against India, expressing astonishment at the unique conditions of the 22-yard strip. As India leads the five-match series 2-1, attention has shifted to the noteworthy "platey cracks" on the pitch, a term used by England batter Ollie Pope to describe the surface.
Stokes, adding to the conversation, remarked on the peculiar nature of the pitch, stating, "It looked interesting, didn't it? I don't know. I can't say much. I don't know; I've never seen something like that before, so I have no idea. I don't know what could happen," according to ESPNCricinfo.
The observation raised concerns, especially within the England camp. Stokes elaborated on the unusual appearance, mentioning, "If you looked down one side of opposite ends, it just looked different from what I am used to seeing, especially out in India. 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."
The unpredictable nature of the pitch has led to a delay in England finalising their playing 11. While pacer Ollie Robinson is set to replace Mark Wood, the decision to include a fourth spinner in Shoaib Bashir or an extra batter like Dan Lawrence remains pending. Stokes praised Robinson's skills, emphasising his ability to adapt to different conditions.
As for Stokes himself, the possibility of him returning to bowl remains uncertain. He provided insight into his condition, stating, "My knee itself was absolutely fine today bowling. It was just good to push past that 20-minute barrier, which is what I've been working around at the moment. It might be a bit stiff, but we'll wait and see."
