India captain, Rohit Sharma, experienced a surprising turn of events during Day 2 of the Dharamsala Test. Ben Stokes, primarily playing as a specialist batter in the series due to knee surgery, bowled for the first time after lunch on Friday, March 8 and left Sharma stunned by clean bowling him.
Despite Sharma’s seemingly impenetrable performance earlier in the day, where he confidently scored a century, Stokes, seemingly brought in as a strategic move, made an immediate impact. The England captain, not initially expected to bowl in the India series due to his recent knee surgery, bowled an exceptional outswinger that uprooted Sharma’s off stump.
Finally Ben Stokes made some contribution in the Test Series.
Rohit Sharma was kind and giving some consolation Wicket to Stokes before he leave this unforgettable tour.pic.twitter.com/1owKAnlYGe
— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) March 8, 2024
Ben Stokes – makes things happen…!!!
Mark Wood just couldn’t believe it. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/a7LT50Z6tz
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 8, 2024
Sharma had dominated the morning session of Day 2, showcasing his prowess against bowlers like Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir. At the break, England appeared at a loss for options, prompting Stokes to take matters into his own hands. The decision proved fruitful as he delivered a ball that pitched on the off stump line, nipping away enough to disrupt Sharma’s balance and crash into his off-stump.
Despite not bowling in the first four Test matches and limited action in the morning session of Day 2, Stokes, who underwent knee surgery after the ODI World Cup 2023, managed to attain sufficient fitness to contribute as a specialist batter against Rohit Sharma’s side. His unexpected bowling performance added a twist to the ongoing India-England Test series.
