I've never seen something like that before: Stokes on Ranchi pitch
Ranchi (PTI): England captain Ben Stokes added spice to the talks on Ranchi pitch for the fourth Test against India, saying he has not seen anything remotely like the 22-yard strip here in the past.
India are leading the five-match series 2-1 and the penultimate Test will start here on Friday.
However, discussion about the "platey cracks" on the pitch as described by England batter Ollie Pope has dominated the build-up to this Test.
Stokes added a touch of intrigue as well.
"It looked interesting, didn't it? I don't know. I can't say much. I don't know, I've never seen something like that before so I have no idea. I don't know what could happen," Stokes was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
It indeed was an ominous reading of the playing surface, if you are from the England camp.
But then Stokes had a reason for it as well. "If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India.
It looked green and grassy up in the changing-rooms, but then you go out there, it looked different. Very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it," Stokes offered.
The nature of the pitch also delayed England making a decision on their playing 11. Pacer Ollie Robinson will come in for Mark Wood but the call to add fourth spinner in Shoaib Bashir or an extra batter in Dan Lawrence will have to wait for now.
Lawrence can also double up as a handy off-spinner.
"He's (Robinson) got unbelievable skills to be a successful bowler anywhere in the world. What we've seen in England is he's very skillful, but we've seen more than that in Pakistan.
"It's similar but different here, but the skill he possesses, he can find any movement, and his release point is always going to be dangerous," said Stokes.
So, will Stokes finally wear his bowling cloak? The Durham man remained a bit secretive.
"My knee itself was absolutely fine today bowling. It was just good to push past that 20-minute barrier, which is what I've been working around at the moment. It might be a bit stiff but we'll wait and see," he noted.
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Crew of Iraqi cargo vessel denied entry at Karwar port as per instructions from Centre: Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): The Crew of an Iraqi cargo vessel were denied permission to disembark at Karwar port in Karnataka by the coastal security authorities as per special instructions given by the central government "after the Pakistan incident", Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Friday.
According to a senior port official, permission was not given for the crew of an Iraqi cargo vessel to disembark at Karwar port due to the presence of Pakistan and Syrian nationals among them. They were repatriated, he said on Wednesday.
Reacting to this development, Parameshwara told reporters here, "After this Pakistan incident, special instructions have been given by the Government of India to all the armed forces and the state departments. So, we as a state, have a coastal survey force.... they have stopped (the crew of an Iraqi cargo vessel from disembarking at Karwar port). Naturally, every vessel will be scrutinised before letting it into our water. So they have done a good job. I think whatever the instructions have been given to them, they have done a good job," he told reporters here.
According to senior port officials, the ship, which had departed from Al Zubair, Iraq, was carrying bitumen and docked at Karwar with a crew comprising 15 Indian nationals, one Pakistani, and two Syrians.
Following standard inspection protocols and heightened vigilance, the presence of Pakistani and Syrian nationals aboard the vessel prompted a security response from port authorities and the Coastal Security Police, he said.
Their mobile phones were confiscated through the ship's captain to restrict communication, and they remained confined on board for two days while the cargo was unloaded.
The vessel has since left Indian waters with the individuals on board, as per directives, the port official had said.
