Stokes stands by his follow-on decision

Ben Stokes joined the ignominious list of Steve Waugh (2001), Kim Hughes (1981) and Jack Blackham (1894) as the only captains in Test historyto lose matches after taking the decision to enforce a follow-on.

In Wellington, New Zealand overcame a 226-run deficit with a strong batting performance led by their top order. with fifties from the openers and a ton from Kane Williamson setting the innings up. And Stokes pointed out to this while defending his decision to enforce the follow-on.

"You look back to that point, and in the three innings before, we managed to rip through their top order. In Mount Manganui twice and here as well. We said early on, before we took the field that day that if we have the opportunity to enforce the follow-on, we will do it. And I knew that New Zealand would have to play pretty much the perfect game to win this game," Stokes said in the press conference after the match.

"But even then, bowling them out and having to chase 250 was always our game to lose. And you've got to give credit to New Zealand not only for the way they played to get 250 runs on the board but also to the way they bowled. Teams are allowed to be better than us. You can hold up your hand and say that, this week when it came to the crucial moments, New Zealand were ahead of us. And we're absolutely fine with all the decision-making, I'll stand by it. I know that with Jimmy, Broady with the ball, teams have to play incredibly well and New Zealand managed to do it," he added.

He further elaborated on why he took the decision then, while also singling out the batting performance being below expectations.

"The conditions were overcast, the wicket was still doing plenty. If it's a pretty flat wicket and we find ourselves in that situation again, obviously I have to think about that. But I thought, thinking back to the way in which we ran through the New Zealand top order in three previous innings... I thought it was the right decision.

"They're international players, they're allowed to play well. The opening partnership put a huge dent into the deficit. And Kane played wonderfully well, very hard to get him when he gets into that kind of rhythm. But again, chasing 250 is something we'd probably look back at our batting group and say we just weren't good enough," said Stokes.

"People might not have thought that enforcing the follow on was the right call, because 'what-if' New Zealand did what they did. But you can't live life, or captain an international cricket team, living by hindsight," he said.

Stokes, who played a limited part as a bowler due to an injured knee admitted that it was 'incredibly frustrating' to battle with the injury, but confirmed that he would still be taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he has been picked up by Chennai Super Kings. And despite the result not going in their favour, he shared his thrill in being part of a historic Test.

"Gosh, what a game! Obviously, after I got out, to watch what was unfolding there was massively up and down. With Jimmy and Leachy at the end there, it was....crazy, you don't know what to do with yourself. But I think, you can look back at that Test match, even in our dressing room being on the losing side, and be quite thankful that you've been involved in a game like that.

"Because Test matches like that don't happen often and don't come around that often either. So even just watching Jimmy and Leachy walk out there, even they appreciated it in that moment as well. It's not too often you see Jimmy Anderson smile on a cricket pitch anyway but being the man getting out with two to win, you just see him...and I don't know the fact he was out there and enjoying the whole thing even though we were on the losing side of it... just a great game to be part of," Stokes said.