Ben Stokes Intrigued by Ranchi Pitch Ahead of Fourth Test Against India

England’s captain Ben Stokes has added to the anticipation surrounding the Ranchi pitch ahead of the fourth Test against India, expressing his amazement at the unique characteristics of the 22-yard strip. With India currently leading the five-match series 2-1, the upcoming Test, scheduled to begin on Friday, holds significant importance for both teams. The focus has squarely been on the pitch conditions, particularly the “platey cracks” observed on the surface, as highlighted by England batter Ollie Pope.

Ben Stokes injected further intrigue into the discussion surrounding the pitch, stating, “It looked interesting, didn’t it? I (Ben Stokes) don’t know. I can’t say much. I don’t know, I’ve never seen something like that before, so I (Ben Stokes) have no idea. I don’t know what could happen.” He elaborated on the peculiarities of the pitch, noting, “If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to 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 unique nature of the pitch has also influenced England’s decision-making regarding their playing 11. While pacer Ollie Robinson is expected to replace Mark Wood, the team management is deliberating between adding a fourth spinner in Shoaib Bashir or an extra batter in Dan Lawrence. Stokes commended Robinson’s skills, acknowledging, “He’s got unbelievable skills to be a successful bowler anywhere in the world. What we’ve seen in England is he’s very skillful, but we’ve seen more than that in Pakistan. It’s similar but different here, but the skill he possesses, he can find any movement, and his release point is always going to be dangerous.”

As the anticipation builds for the fourth Test, both teams will be closely monitoring the conditions in Ranchi, with the pitch likely to play a decisive role in the outcome of the match. With the series finely poised, the contest promises to be enthralling, as England seeks to level the series while India aims to consolidate its lead and secure victory on home turf.