Ashes 2023: "A Bit Of Deja Vu, He Is An Unbelievable Player" - Steve Smith Lauds Ben Stokes’ Incredible Knock

Australian batter Steve Smith praised England captain Ben Stokes for his outstanding batting performance on the final day of the second Test in the Ashes 2023 series. Steve Smith described Ben Stokes as an unbelievable player, highlighting his ability to single-handedly turn the game around.

Ben Stokes played an outstanding innings, scoring a brilliant hundred of 155 runs off 214 balls in England’s second innings at Lord’s. England couldn’t secure a victory despite Stokes’ incredible knock. The hosts suffered a 43-run loss in the second Test of the five-match series on Sunday, July 2.

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He Is A Freak For What He Can Pull Off In Cricket – Steve Smith

Speaking after the win against England, Steve Smith pointed out that Ben Stokes was dismissed while attempting to target the longer side of the ground.

“A bit of deja vu, he (Stokes) is an unbelievable player. He is a freak for what he can pull off in cricket – in different formats, on this ground, in this country, he has done some incredible things. He was targeting the short end, and the first shot that he tried the other end, he got out,” Smith said.

Also read: Ashes 2023: “Do I Want To Win In That Manner? No” – Ben Stokes Reacts Strongly On Jonny Bairstow’s Dismissal In Lord’s Test

England struggled with the bat early in the run chase as they were reduced to 45/4. Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett formed a crucial partnership of 132 runs for the fifth wicket. The English skipper almost single-handedly guided the team to victory, but they fell short by 43 runs.

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I Did Not Pick It Initially – Steve Smith

Steve Smith said that he was feeling guilty for dropping Ben Stokes’s catch and added that he initially struggled to pick up the ball.

“(On his dropped catch) I did not pick it initially, quite a difficult square of the wicket to pick the ball and eventually put it down. Difficult giving such guys a life, fortunately, hit one up the chimney later on,” he further stated.

Also read: Ashes 2023: “I Can’t Imagine We’ll Be Having A Beer With Them Any Time Soon” – Brendon McCullum On Jonny Bairstow’s Controversial Dismissal

“(On first innings) I think it was important to get a decent total on the board, we were looking to bowl as well looking at the overheads. To be able to navigate that stage and put a decent total helped us out,” he continued.

The visiting team has taken a 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series with victories in the first two matches. The next match between the teams is scheduled to take place at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday, July 6.

Also read: “It’s A Much-Needed Thing For Sri Lanka To Be Up There On That Big Stage” – Dasun Shanaka After Qualifying For The 2023 World Cup

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