Ben Stokes’ Explosive Take On Zak Crawley LBW Row- “Technology Got It Wrong”

Ben Stokes’ Explosive Take On Zak Crawley LBW Row: After being out against India in the second Test, England skipper Ben Stokes thought on Monday that their opening batsman Zak Crawley was given a wrong choice by DRS to be declared leg before wicket.

In his two innings, Crawley scored 76 and 73 runs, making him the greatest batsman for England during the match. In a tight DRS call before lunch on day four, he combined boldness and prudence to put pressure on the Indian bowlers, but he was eventually declared leg before wicket off Kuldeep Yadav.

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Middle stump produced a ball that Kuldeep turned back in on the sixth delivery of his opening over. The DRS indicated that the ball was striking the leg stump even though it appeared to be moving down the leg.

Stokes did not seem to agree with the DRS call.

“Technology in the game is obviously there. Everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100% which is why we have the umpire’s call. That’s why it’s in place. When it’s not 100% as everyone says, I don’t think it’s unfair for someone to say ‘I think the technology has got it wrong on this occasion’,” Stokes said after the 106-run loss.

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“And that is my personal opinion. I will say that. But in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes, I am not going to say that the reason why we haven’t got the result we wanted. I’m just saying my personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion, and I think that’s fair to say.

“You can’t really do much with things that have been and gone. A decision has been made, and you can’t really overturn a decision that has been made. That is where I stand on that,” he said.

Additionally, Stokes disclosed that a few players on the team had woken up unwell on Monday morning. Ben Foakes, Ollie Pope, and Tom Hartley—all of whom batted in the second innings—were reportedly not at full strength.

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“A couple woke up this morning not feeling great, and when everyone had the same symptoms you know there is something going around. There’s a bit of a virus going round, it’s not an excuse for the result or anything, because it’s a game full of ifs, buts and maybes.

“Something that is not ideal. You obviously want everyone to be 100% and feeling great. But proud that the guys who were feeling under the weather didn’t shy away from anything they needed to do and gave it their best,” said Stokes adding that Joe Root felt a lot better about his right little finger before walking out to bat on Monday.

In the final two Sunday sessions, Root did not play. On February 12 or 13, England will depart for their training camp in Abu Dhabi and fly back to India for the third Test in Rajkot. On February 15, the third Test gets underway.