Ben Stokes says England must focus on winning matches more. The captain still wants his team to play exciting cricket. But he thinks smart play matters most when teams get behind.
England starts their Test series against India at Headingley soon. This five-match series begins a new World Test Championship cycle. Both teams want to start well in this competition.
Stokes knows his team plays fast and entertaining cricket regularly. Fans love watching England bat and bowl with aggression. However, the captain wants better results when pressure builds up.
England Must Learn From Losses
Ben Stokes has won 23 Tests and lost 12 as captain. Some defeats were really bad for the team’s confidence. England lost by 423 runs in Hamilton against New Zealand recently.
“We know that when we are on top of teams, we are very, very good, and where we maybe have let ourselves down in the past over the last three years is when we have been behind the game, we’ve not given ourselves the best chance of wresting ourselves back into the game, and that’s an area that we have looked at and know that we need to get better at if we want to end up being where we want to end up being as a team. We still want to be known as a team who play an exciting style of cricket,” Stokes said.
Stokes talks honestly with his players about their weak points. The captain wants everyone to understand what needs fixing. Smart decision-making becomes crucial when opponents dominate the game.
Team Changes and Player Focus
Ollie Pope will bat at number 3 for England. Stokes likes Pope’s consistency and big innings ability. The captain trusts Pope to handle pressure situations better.
Jacob Bethell and Jofra Archer will play county cricket first. Both players need match practice before returning to Tests. Stokes wants them sharp and ready for selection.
India also beat England heavily in some matches this year. The visitors won by 434 runs and an innings. These big losses show England’s struggles when falling behind early.
Archer Returns to Red Ball Cricket
Jofra Archer will play for Sussex in county matches. The fast bowler hasn’t played Test cricket for months. Stokes feels excited about Archer’s possible return to the team.
England needs Archer’s pace and skill for a big series. The bowler can trouble any batting lineup worldwide. His fitness and form will decide his Test comeback.
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Stokes doesn’t worry about the Ashes series yet. He only thinks about beating India right now. The captain knows India has many talented players despite retirements.
