‘Nothing could stop me’, Stokes opens up on remarkable third Test victory over India

LONDON: England captain Ben Stokes on Monday admitted he pushed himself to the brink physically and mentally on the final day of the third Test against India at Lord’s, saying 'nothing was stopping me'.

Speaking at the post match conference, Stokes reflected on the physical and mental toll of his match-winning effort, admitting he pushed himself to the limit. 

“I’ve taken myself to some pretty dark places before. Today was one of those days, but when you’re bowling to win a Test match, if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does. The game was on the line. Nothing was stopping me,” Stokes said.

He said the thrill of bowling to win a Test match was all the motivation he needed to keep going.

“As an allrounder, I get four chances to impact a Test match. If one aspect doesn’t work, there’s always the other,” he said. 

“Obviously I’d love to be scoring more runs, but when I’m out there, my focus shifts to bowling. That’s the beauty of being an allrounder, you don’t really get time to dwell.”

Stokes also reserved special praise for Jofra Archer, who returned to Test cricket for the first time since 2021. 

“Part of the reason I went with Jof this morning is because today marks six years since the 2019 World Cup final,” Stokes noted. 

“He played a huge role in that match, and I had a feeling he’d do something special today. I trusted my gut, and he delivered.”

It is pertinent to mention that Stokes was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, taking five wickets across 44 overs, alongside contributions of 44 and 33 with the bat and a crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant in India's first innings.

The win gives England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with the fourth Test set to begin at Old Trafford on July 23.