Pak vs Eng, 2nd test – Ben Stokes apologizes for frustration after England’s loss

Stokes, who returned to the team for the first time in nine weeks after a torn hamstring ruled him out of the home series against Sri Lanka and last week’s first Test, told Sky Sports he behaved like a “tired and grumpy old man”. man” as he shouted at his players at a critical moment in Pakistan’s second innings.

Then, when Jack Leach fumbled for a needless single off Carse next, Stokes let out a huff of exasperation – which, while understandable under the circumstances, was out of character for the captain praising an innocent pitch. during his reign of two and a half years.

“I actually apologized to the team last night,” Stokes said afterwards. “It’s the first time for my captain that I let my emotions show through my body language, the way I was feeling as the game went on. I agreed with that, and I’m very angry that I let it out. .

“It’s something I don’t want to do, even if I’m seen to be doing it,” he added. “No one intends to throw away the tangible, but it proves how important it is to participate in these conditions of the subcontinent, because they don’t come often. So I apologized to the team and said that was wrong of me. I was tired and a bitter old man last night, you will not see that again.”

“I was surprised, but we all know how passionate Ben is, and what it means to him to play for England,” McCullum told Sky Sports. “We saw that with his bloody mind to come back from injury, which was important, and to do that in a nine-week period, and in extreme 40-degree weather.

“I think that’s probably where some of the frustration came from, it certainly wasn’t aimed at any player,” he added. “It was about trying to check the rhythm of the game and influence it. But look, he’s going to be better at running. And I thought in the second innings. [where he made 37 from 36 balls] he looked like he had that way where he could put pressure on the opposition. He’s at his best when he does that.”

Stokes himself admitted that the challenge of returning to action has been tough, having not played competitive cricket since tearing a hamstring while scoring a century in August.

“I worked hard to be ready for this Test match, but nothing can prepare you to leave the field when it’s hot,” he said. “Training doesn’t do that, so it was nice to get through this Test match, it fills me up well going into next week, and it was nice to get some overs under the belt. It’s something I felt like I was missing, but obviously, when you go into a game, and you feel like you’re on track, nothing can stop me from doing it.” that.

“He was great,” Stokes said. “He’s shown in these two games why we chose him in every way, not Test cricket going forward. He just keeps charging, ball after ball, spell and spell. Obviously, if the ball starts to drop, he comes in. Game and more. To have his batting power is fantastic. to us, and he will raise his stock above what it was.”

McCullum admitted that Carse was the “bright spot” in England’s attack. “I can’t say that he surprised me, because he came with the dignity of a person who knows how to throw speed with a big heart, and continue to enter by jumping,” he said. “To be able to do it in England is one thing, to do it in a place that hasn’t given a lot to fast bowlers is outstanding. We’re trying to build a battery of fast bowlers, and Carse has done that. He’s put his name to that.”

As a former Test wicket-taker, McCullum also defended Smith’s views after his worst absence on the third night. After taking three sharp first-innings wickets, it was a rare blip in what has been a brilliant start to Smith’s England career, with his twin scores of 21 and 6 having little impact on the batting during eight Tests.

“You won’t find a more difficult set of conditions to keep a wicket,” McCullum said. “Jamie was very disappointed to give that away. But he got that out, I thought his keeping was as good as I’ve seen in these conditions, especially from an outside wicketkeeper.

“He continues to impress, and obviously in both innings, he’s trying to put pressure on the opposition in that area, which is very difficult, but that’s his natural game. He’s turning into a really big player for us.

“But that’s where you have to be able to turn the page quickly again, because if you ever let your mistakes control your attitude and your confidence, then you’re in for a hell of a time. The mistakes in this game I’ll be a part of, but 99% of what Jamie did in this Test match it has been very good and that will be a message to him.