England captain Ben Stokes fell victim to a delivery from Ravindra Jadeja that kept unusually low, resulting in an LBW dismissal during the first session of the fourth Test against India in Ranchi on Friday, February 23. Stokes managed only three runs before the challenging delivery led to his departure.
Stokes had entered the crease after Jonny Bairstow was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin. Bairstow had formed a strong partnership with Joe Root through his counter-attacking performance, and the England camp had hoped the duo would remain unbeaten until the end of the session.
Jadeja’s full delivery stayed extremely low and struck Stokes’ shoe, leading to an unlucky dismissal. The England captain left the field with a wry smile, not even waiting for the umpire’s decision.
You can watch the dismissal video here:
This is the second instance in the series where Jadeja has succeeded in dismissing Stokes. In the first innings of the third Test in Rajkot, the left-arm spinner claimed the wicket of the opposing captain, with Bumrah taking a composed catch in the deep.
India holds a strong position after Stokes’ dismissal, ending the first session of Day 1 in control
England had a promising start after winning the toss, with Zak Crawley scoring 42 runs quickly. However, debutant Akash Deep’s outstanding performance with the new ball dismantled the top order, and the spinners further capitalized as the session unfolded.
As the second session begins, England finds themselves in a precarious position at 118-5 after 26 overs. Joe Root, appearing to revert to his natural approach after a few unusual dismissals, remains unbeaten on 19 runs off 44 deliveries.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes joined the ex-captain at the crease as the second session commenced in Ranchi. The Indian spinners aim to take wickets consistently, preventing England from reaching a respectable first-innings total given the conditions.
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