England captain Ben Stokes has expressed hope of countering Pakistan’s spin threat by batting first in the final test match at Rawalpindi.
Speaking ahead of the match, Ben Stokes highlighted the importance of being proactive, noting the toss could play a pivotal role. “Batting first will give us a clearer understanding of how Pakistan’s spinners operate,” Stokes said, “it’ll be a good wicket for the first couple of days, at least” he added.
Stokes’ remarks underline the importance of the pitch being prepared for the final test which has become a fodder for online speculation. Their vice-captain also admitted to having no clue how the wicket will turn out in the end. The team batting first is likely to get a head start in the game as a fresher pitch offers more scoring opportunities for the batters before the surface begins to deteriorate as the match goes on.
Pakistan, meanwhile, is like banking on another turner to neutralize England’s vaunted batting line-up which struggled in the second match as the wicket began to help the home team’s spinners.
The visitors likely share the same sentiment, including three spinners in the playing XI.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes is also expected to take on a much larger role on the bowling front alongside Gus Atkinson after being restricted to just five overs per innings in his return from a hamstring injury. The all-rounder expressed confidence in his fitness, saying he’s ready to contribute more with the ball. “It was good to get through it. I’ve pushed myself hard in training, bowled two spells, and I’m confident I can offer more this week than I did last week,” Stokes said.
The final test match is set to being from tomorrow (October 24th).