Ben Stokes had to defend 19. Chris Woakes had to defend 16. Carlos Brathwaite had lofted Stokes somewhere in the stratosphere. Kedar Jadhav hit Woakes’ first ball over cover, into the stands. Brathwaite had sent Stokes’ second ball so high into the orbit that it was a miracle that it was even retrieved. Jadhav smote Woakes’ next ball over extra-cover for four. Woakes had to defend 6 from 4. Stokes had to defend 7 from 4. The ground was the same, probably the most celebrated in India, one that had witnessed many a drama over decades in front of the most excitable crowds in the world.
It has not been a year since Ian Bishop had urged the world to remember the name of Brathwaite; since Stokes slumped to his knees as Eden Gardens erupted around him, with only Adil Rashid by his side. Stokes went into depression since that onslaught in the World T20 final. It took some effort from his captain Eoin Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss to ensure he did sulk further. Stokes returned where he belonged, to international cricket, smashing sixes and taking wickets, winning matches and celebrating in ecstasy. He was a new man, a phoenix that knew no yesterday.
Almost.
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There was one stone left to be unturned. There was one place where he had to show his mettle, to prove that it takes more than four balls to shatter a man of Stokes’ calibre. He got going in the Tests, first in Bangladesh, then in India. He won the Chittagong Test almost single-handedly. He smashed a hundred at Rajkot and got 70 at Visakhapatnam, and took a five-for in Mohali. He was not spectacular, but he was more than competent in alien conditions. He did well in the ODIs too, with a hundred at Dhaka and a quality all-round show at Pune, albeit in defeat.
By the time the teams arrived in Eden Gardens the series was lost, but there was still a little contest inside that dead rubber, that of Stokes against himself. No performance could have made up for those dreadful four balls, but there was always a challenge, that of shedding his old ghosts.
The pitch was full of runs, but not as much as Pune or Cuttack. The odd delivery took off from a length. Jasprit Bumrah got prodigious movement at times. There was no promotion up the order for Stokes despite his record fifty at Pune and despite the fact that two men were ruled out of the match with injuries.
Hardik Pandya had his tail up. After a torrid time with the new ball, he had taken out Morgan and Jos Buttler in quick succession. His second spell read 3-0-5-2. He had a slip for Stokes.
The first ball whooshed past Stokes’ outside edge. Eden cheered in anticipation. They had smelled blood.
None of that mattered. Pandya bowled one wide — not very wide, but enough for Stokes to free his arms; those strong forearms and the lightning-quick outfield did the rest.
On came Ravichandran Ashwin, England’s tormentor in the Test series. Stokes left the crease the moment it left Ashwin’s hand. He lofted it against the turn. There was a long-on, but he backed his immense strength. He did not err.
He lost Jonny Bairstow, then Moeen Ali, but found a partner in Woakes. Bumrah was whisked past MS Dhoni. Kohli summoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar. There was no change in approach: the ball soared over long-on into the stands. Two balls later he slammed one down so hard that the fielder could not move.
His fifty took 34 balls. He finished unbeaten, on a 39-ball 57. However, unlike most of his teammates, his job was only half done. He had to go out and defend the lowest total of the series.
David Willey took out Ajinkya Rahane in his first over, but he hobbled out after 2 overs, depriving England of the advantage of the sixth bowler.
Morgan held back Stokes till the 15th over. At that stage Kohli had been easing into the situation with deft flicks and elegant cover drives. He had even been dropped off Liam Plunkett, and had survived an inside edge two balls later.
Yuvraj Singh dispatched Stokes’ third ball to the long-on fence. He conceded 12 off his first two over. Not quite the redemption, but an acceptable start when his side had to defend 322.
Three balls of his third over went by without much action. Then came the fourth.
England had tried everything in the Test series but had failed to get Kohli out. He was that one unstoppable demon who could not be subdued, let alone be vanquished.
They had had their duels, both on the pitch and just next to it, Kohli and Stokes. Kohli emerged on top every time. On the rarest of occasions when he did not, his teammates rose to the occasion, obliterating Stokes’ side in match after match.
There had to be redemption of some sort. Some justice. Something.
Stokes ran in. The ball was pitched outside off. It was in Kohli’s zone. He had sent them away through cover with utmost ease throughout the winter. He went for it again. He could not get wrong with that.
But the ball had taken off. There was that teeny bit of extra bounce that had surprised batsmen throughout the match. The ball took Kohli’s edge. Buttler had to leap in the air, but he did so unerringly.
And the coliseum they call Eden Gardens was left, stunned.
Of course, there was nothing to be complacent. Yuvraj was there, as was Dhoni. Memories of Cuttack were still fresh. And when the England fast bowlers sent both men back, Jadhav and Pandya got together, threatening to take the match away from England.
Stokes came back. He strayed. Pandya casually flicked him for four. Stokes responded by beating Jadhav.
Then Pandya went for an outrageous slog off Stokes. There was only a top edge, but Pandya’s brute force carried it past the ropes. Two boundaries followed.
Despite Kohli’s wicket, Stokes had gone for 56 from his 8 overs. Morgan took him off.
Was he saving him for the end? Again? At Eden Gardens? How? Why?
He returned for the 46th over. India needed 47 from 30. Stokes would bowl the 46th and 48th.
Two balls gave India two singles. He pitched up the next ball, probably not as much as Pandya had anticipated. Pandya, going for one slog too many, did not connect, and Stokes hit timber. It was the second crucial partnership he broke in the match.
Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja had a blast at Woakes at the other end before departing. When Stokes resumed, India needed 27 from 18 balls.
He knew he had to keep Ashwin on the strike, because Ashwin was new to the crease, because Ashwin was more of a timer than a blaster. Ashwin pushed the first ball to point and glided the second to third man.
26 from 16.
Stokes ran in. He could bowl wide of off, tempting Jadhav to chance his arms. He could bowl a bouncer, for Jadhav loved to play the pull. Or he could take the you-miss-I-hit policy that had got Pandya.
He chose the third. Jadhav made room. Jadhav swung. Jadhav missed. Stokes did not hit. It was a dot ball, but Stokes had asked for more.
A flick got Jadhav off strike. 25 from 14.
Ashwin went for the lofted drive. He had pulled it off at Pune, but that was off Moeen. He tried an encore. It was perhaps a brain-freeze; or perhaps not; whatever it was, it took a vertical route.
Woakes made no mistake. 25 from 13. The batsmen had crossed.
Stokes knew what was coming. Jadhav had tried to make room in the previous ball. Stokes decided to go by that. He bowled on leg, cramping Jadhav for space, and took the pace off for extra measure.
It almost came off. It was simply too wide.
He gave a single off the last ball. He finished his quota with 3 for 63, an excellent effort to go with his blistering fifty.
Two overs, one wicket, and millions of heartbreaks later, Stokes celebrated with his team.
It was Stokes who had denied England of the trophy, at this ground.
It was Stokes who had gave England their first ODI victory at this ground, the first in this tour.
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