
Ben Stokes: It's no longer just about entertainment, it's about winning
Ben Stokes has signalled a change in England's Bazball approach to Test cricket, admitting that his team's main purpose is not to entertain but to win matches.
Stokes has led the transformation of England's Test side alongside head coach Brendon McCullum since he was appointed captain three years ago, playing an exciting brand of cricket and previously stating: 'We're in the entertainment business.'
Now, as he prepares to lead his team into a five-match series against India, the 34-year-old has struck a more considered note, admitting that while England's gung-ho approach is effective when they are on top, they need to get better at regaining control when things are not going their way.
'We have had time to talk as a group, identify areas where we know that we are incredibly strong, but also identify areas that we think we need to get better at,' Stokes told the BBC. 'One of those areas was adapting better when we're up against the wall.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Nominees for PFA Player of the Year announced
& Will Castle Mohamed Salah leads a six-player shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award. Erling Haaland was notably excluded from the nominations despite scoring 22 goals this season. Salah was instrumental in Liverpool's Premier League title success, contributing 29 goals and 18 assists. The shortlist also includes Alexis Mac Allister, Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak, and Bruno Fernandes. The PFA awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in Manchester on 19 August. Erling Haaland snubbed again as Liverpool duo leads PFA Player of the Year shortlist


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Liverpool's Salah, Mac Allister among six nominees for PFA Players' Player of the Year
June 20 (Reuters) - Premier League 2024-25 top scorer Mohamed Salah has been nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year award, along with Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister. Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal's Declan Rice and Chelsea's Cole Palmer were the other four to be voted into the list by their peers, PFA said in a social media post on Friday. Salah scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists to equal the record of 47 goal involvements in a Premier League season, matching Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer who achieved the feat when each team played 42 matches in a campaign, which was reduced to 38 from 1995-96. The Egypt international played a crucial key as Liverpool won the league, finishing 10 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal. Isak was second in the scoring charts with 23 goals as he spearheaded Newcastle's efforts to qualify for the Champions League with a top-five finish. Palmer scored 15 goals and provided eight assists as Chelsea finished fourth. The winners of this year's PFA awards will be honoured at a ceremony in Manchester on August 19.


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Peaty has 'unfinished business', says coach Main
Three-time Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty was lured back to the pool by "unfinished business", says new coach Jamie 30-year-old had previously admitted that he was not convinced he would carry on after an emotionally and physically draining silver-medal finish in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris Games last had dealt with mental health issues in the years leading up to the 2024 Olympics, where he aimed to claim a third consecutive gold medal in the event despite catching Covid-19 in the week leading up to the race, but was just 0.02 seconds short of glory. "When we had the conversation at the back end of last year about him potentially coming in to Repton, he felt like there was some unfinished business," Main told BBC Radio Derby."But he actually loves the sport and I think that has come though in a lot of what he has said since he announced that he was getting back in the pool."In April, Peaty said he wanted to set an example for his children "to not give up" after the disappointment in the French capital. The Paris Olympics was the last major event he worked with long-time coach Mel Marshall, who moved to Australia to further her Marshall leaving Loughborough Performance Centre, where she was Aquatic GB's lead coach, Peaty decided to relocate to his former training base at Repton School in was there that he previously worked with Marshall leading up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio where he claimed his first Olympic has now returned to the rural Derbyshire village to work with Main, who left his role as Aquatics GB national coach at the Bath Performance Centre to become Repton's director of move coincided with his omission from the group of 57 elite British swimmers that will be supported by Aquatics GB throughout the multiple world champion and world record holder at the school has given its highly-regarded programme - which was represented by swimmers at the Olympic and Paralympic Games last year - a significant boost."With Adam Peaty coming in, that is attracting interest from other senior swimmers, which the school is keen to support because it helps other swimmers, the young talent we have in the programme who rub shoulders with those experienced heads," Main said.