Ben Stokes hailed England’s record fourth-innings chase at Headingley as a triumph of belief, discipline, and execution, singling out Ben Duckett’s fearless 149 and Joe Root’s composure as the cornerstones of a win that he described as one of the team’s most complete final-day performances.
In a composed yet quietly proud post-match interaction, the England skipper emphasised that the win wasn’t about bravado but about clarity of roles, smart decision-making, and trust in the team’s method.
“This wasn’t a blaze-of-glory chase. It was controlled, it was mature, and it was built session by session. That’s what made it special,” Stokes said, praising the opening stand between Duckett and Zak Crawley, which added 188 runs and set the tone for the day.
Duckett’s innings -- bold, aggressive, and tactically sound -- was at the heart of England’s early dominance. “Ben took the game on, but never recklessly. It was brave, yes, but it was smart cricket,” said Stokes. “We talk a lot about intent, but this was intent with patience.”
Stokes was also full of praise for the partnership that sealed the game, the unflustered 119-run stand between Joe Root (53 not out) and Jamie Smith (44 not out). “That was a clinic in pressure management. Rooty showed why he’s world-class, and Jamie looked like he’s played 50 Tests already.”
The captain was measured in his response to the magnitude of the win, acknowledging the strength of the Indian side. “They pushed us hard. We knew we had to be close to perfect today...and we were, for most parts.”
When asked if this reflected the identity of England under his leadership, Stokes responded, “It reflects belief. We’ve lost games playing our way. But we’ve also pulled off things like today because we back our approach.”
England now lead the series 1–0, with four Tests to go. But in true Stokes fashion, the message was clear: “It’s a big win, but just one step in a long series. We’ll enjoy this...then get back to work.”
