DRS got it wrong for Zak Crawley wicket, insists Ben Stokes after England beaten by India

Captain says technology was incorrect but not the reason for Second Test defeat
Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_5 February 2024

Ben Stokes believes Zak Crawley was the victim of a technological mishap on the final day of the Second Test in Vizag, but refused to blame England’s defeat on the opener’s controversial dismissal.

India bounced back from their loss in last month’s opener at Hyderabad to level the series at 1-1 with a 106-run triumph, inspired by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double-century and Jasprit Bumrah’s nine-wicket haul. 

England had been set a daunting fourth-innings target of 399, which would have been by some margin the largest ever chased by a touring team in India. 

Any hope was effectively lost when Crawley, who had played nicely for his 73, and Jonny Bairstow fell in successive overs on the cusp of lunch to leave the tourists 194 for six. 

Crawley was initially given not-out by on-field umpire Marais Erasmus when hit on the pad by Kuldeep Yadav, but, after India reviewed, DRS surprisingly had the ball going on to hit leg-stump. 

"My personal opinion is that the technology has gone wrong on this occasion, that's where I stand on it," the England captain said when questioned about the decision.

"Technology in the game is obviously there and everyone has an understanding of the reasons it can never be 100 per cent. That's why we have the 'umpire's call', that's why it's in place.

"So when it's not 100 per cent, I don't think it's unfair for someone to say I think the technology has got it wrong. I will say that, but in a game full of ifs, buts and maybes I am not going to say that's the reason why we haven't got the result we wanted.

"You can't really do much with things that have been and gone. You can't really overturn a decision that has been made."

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