England spin-bowling coach lauds ‘Freak’ Stokes after wicket on first ball in eight months

The 32-year-old castled Rohit Sharma for 103 off his first ball during the second session of play on Day 2, the first time he has bowled in the entire Indian tour.

England captain Ben Stokes leaves the field at stumps on day one of the 5th Test Match between India and England at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ben Stokes claimed a wicket with his first competitive ball for eight months as he rattled India captain Rohit Sharma’s stumps with a delivery that seamed off the pitch.

As the cricket fraternity and the fans lauded Stokes’ effort, England’s spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel called him a ‘freak’. “It was almost written in the stars that he was going to bowl a jaffa first up and get Rohit out who was on 100,” Patel, a former New Zealand spinner, said.

“We all know how we can round our attack out, especially in conditions like these where you have usually got two spinners, two seamers and then you want your third in Stokesy.”

Stokes needs two more scalps to enter the 200-Test wicket club, and the five overs that he bowled on Friday afternoon, he looked at ease.

“It was nice to see him back at the crease but we have just got to be careful that we don’t push him too far, it’s still early days for him,” said Patel, adding that the England captain will rest up, put some ice on his knee and get ready for action on the third day.

Stokes struggled with the left knee and could not bowl in the last three Ashes Tests last year and also during the ODI World Cup, which eventually forced him to undergo surgery in November last year.