Jofra Archer delivered a game-changing spell for England on Day 5 at Lord's.
Ganguly had taken off his shirt to celebrate India’s triumph, and it remains one of the most iconic moments in international cricket to this date.
On Monday (July 14), Archer dismissed Rishabh Pant with a beauty before taking a return catch to get rid of Washington Sundar as India went down by 22 runs at the Home of Cricket while chasing 193 in the fourth innings.
“I just said to him this morning, ‘you know what today is, don’t you?’ So he told me. ‘You know that highlights package of India knocking off 300-odd back in the day with Ganguly (waving shirt).’
“He (Archer) thought that was the World Cup final. He thought that was six years today,” Stokes said after England’s narrow win.
Incidentally, England won the 2019 ODI World Cup final at Lord’s on the same day. However, when Stokes reminded Archer about that historic day six years ago, the pacer thought of the Ganguly moment that happened 17 years ago, confusing with the dates of the ICC tournament final and the NatWest title clash.
“I was like, no…that World Cup that we won? He was like, ‘oh that one’. He’s an absolute beauty, that boy. I just had the feeling today and that Rishabh Pant wicket was massive in a low run chase,” said Stokes.
“We knew that turning up this morning was genuinely the reason why we went with me and Jof (Archer). It felt right in my tummy that Jof was gonna do something this morning to break the game open.
“Gut feel doesn’t always work but those two wickets he got this morning obviously swung the game massively in our favour.”
The England captain has supported the injury-prone Archer wholeheartedly and they also share a deep bond with each other.
“So he wanted me to come to mid-on and (Brydon) Carsey to go to leg slip so he could talk to me. But I didn’t trust Carsey at leg slip, to be honest,” said Stokes.
Ben Stokes earned the Player-of-the-Match award for leading from the front. Fresh off an injury comeback, Stokes bowled 24 overs in the final innings to maintain pressure on India.
Despite his workload in the game, Stokes said he would be fine for the penultimate Test match at Old Trafford, starting on July 23.
“I’ll be absolutely sound for Manchester. It’s a big break. Obviously, I was pretty tired after Headingley. But, yeah, after we walked off the field there, sort of a whole new level of tiredness hit.
“And it’s obviously different when you’re … I’ve been in games like that before, not as a captain, where I’ve been given the ball to run in and try to bowl the team to victory.
“But then now, adding on the decision making around bowling changes, field placings, how I feel we’re gonna get this win. Obviously, there’s a physical element of bowling in the fourth innings, but then it shouldn’t be underestimated how the emotional and mental tiredness does also get you as well,” he said.
Stokes played down the heated altercations and sledging by players of both teams over the course of the third Test.
“I think in a big series like this there was always going to be a moment where the two teams were going to clash. I’m all for it as long as it does not cross the line,” he said.
“If you think about it, it’s 22 people out there playing for their country. The highest honour you can have in our sport. So, you can understand that sometimes emotions and tensions can get quite high,” he added.
“…I don’t think anyone in the Indian dressing room or anyone in the English dressing room is going to cry themselves to sleep over what was said or done out there. I don’t think it overstepped the line from the India team or from our team,” he further stated.
“It wasn’t really boiling up…it just happened but it adds to the spectacle of England vs India doesn’t it?,” he signed off.