Ben Stokes, England’s captain, and his mates had a satisfying run in Dharamshala. It’s a scenic spot in the Himalayas where they prepared for the fifth and final Test match against India, set to begin on March 7. The all-rounder Ben Stokes shared some photos of the scenic location on his social media accounts and expressed his excitement for the match.
Dharamshala, placed higher than 1457m from sea level, is a popular place in the country. It’s encased by snowy mountains and laced with streaming water. The awesome nature visuals enhance its appeal.
Ben Stokes posted a video of her morning exercise on Instagram with the caption:
“Some place for a trundle this morning.”
Ben Stokes
After losing the Test series 3-1 to India, the tourists would be seeking for a consolation win in English conditions. It was their first series defeat in Tests since the Bazball era.
In the latest Test, India achieved victory over the touring team by five wickets in Ranchi. This confirmed their lead in the ongoing five-match series. The visiting competitors started the game strong but faced a downfall during their second innings. This was due to Ravichandran Ashwin’s impressive five-wicket haul and Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket contribution, leading to their overall defeat.
Michael Vaughan blasts England’s batsmen for failing in one innings
Former England captain Michael Vaughan chastised the batting unit for being inconsistent in their two innings throughout the first four Tests of the five-match series against India. He also questioned the team’s administration for being overly supportive and encouraging its players.
Vaughan writes in his most recent piece for The Telegraph UK:
“Overall, as a batting unit England have seemed in need of a reminder that Test cricket is a two-innings game. They have consistently been batting well in one, then screwing up the other.
“Ultimately, the game is about winning and England are struggling to do that against the very best sides. This week, with some extra pressure on selection, they would do well to remember that.”
Michael Vaughan
The 49-year-old added:
“I do wonder, though, if this England setup takes backing a bit too far. Since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over, only one batsman has been dropped, and even that was the tamest dropping you will ever see.
“England inherited Alex Lees from the previous regime and gave him a crack, but always had their eye on Ben Duckett to open with Zak Crawley so simply moved Lees on at the end of their first summer.”
Michael Vaughan
In addition, just three visiting players – Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root – have scored centuries in the current Test series. Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow, on the other hand, are yet to reach the half-century mark. Skipper Ben Stokes has also struggled for huge scores, with the exception of his 70 in the first Test, which England won by 28 runs.