Given their importance, history of injury and stellar summer, he is enjoying, any doubt on Stokes’ fitness is always a concern.
After bowling 24 overs in the first innings in India, he was forced to hurt with cramps during his batting on Friday, the same day before starting again.
England did not indicate the concern of injury, but the absence of Stokes could not be strategic due to the attack on Saturday afternoon. It may be that he was taking care of with the fifth Test in this match after his former hard work, and at the Oval starting on Thursday.
When he resumed 77 out of 544–7 in England, Stokes saw in a single pinch in the first over of the day, defeating the mid-on Ansul Kamboj’s direct hit.
Stokes had a rioter against Johnny Bairstow’s stumping in the second Ashes Test of 2023.
This was a controlled, fixed effort. The left -handed batsman spent six balls at 99 before Bumrah felt very well for four. Stokes celebrated, a trademark salute for his late father Ged, and then there was another look in the sky.
The century of Stokes, in his 14th test, came from 164 delivery. He scored 38 runs from the next 33 delivery, which he faced, including a joint three sixes in spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja.
Brydon Carse, one of the best number 10s England, was involved in the destruction anytime. His partnership of 95 came in almost one run ball, leveraging Dimoral Indians.
Stokes was chasing each other sequence from Jadeja when he exited for a long time. He left for a brilliant ovation and stopped to soak it.
His only partnership for the rest of the day was martial to his team in the field, often hump on his knees.
