Latest news with #Stokes
Straits Times
21 minutes ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Sun is out as England and India get highly-anticipated test series under way
Sun is out as England and India get highly-anticipated test series under way LEEDS, England - England won the toss and put India in to bat as the titans of test cricket get their five-match series under way at Headingley on Thursday, with both teams at very different stages of their journey. Leeds was a vibrant scene ahead of the start of the series opener, with colourful India supporters especially keen to see how their team do without three recently-retired stalwarts of the game: Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. India have not played a test on English soil without former skipper Kohli at the helm since 2011, with Shubman Gill, at 25, becoming his country's fifth-youngest captain. Gill's counterpart, Ben Stokes, got the upper hand early on, winning the toss and putting the tourists in to bat first. History played its part in Stokes' thinking - teams bowling first have won each of the previous six tests at Headingley. This series begins a potentially era-defining period for Stokes and England coach Brendon McCullum, having enjoyed plenty of highs and lows over the past few years, with the Ashes series in Australia next up in the test format, starting in November. While England's batting lineup for the India opener has plenty of experience in it, their bowling attack is missing some big-hitters through injury. Seamers Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse amassing eight test appearances between them so far. The Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy will be awarded in all future test series between the two sides, replacing the Pataudi Trophy in England and the Anthony De Mello Trophy in India. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Michael Vaughan delivers warning to Ben Stokes – 'Got to do the right thing'
As England prepare to face India in their five test series, a matter of months before the Ashes, cricket legend Michael Vaughan offered a word of warning to Ben Stokes Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has warned Ben Stokes he must do "the right thing" and respect India before he can turn his attention to Australia and the Ashes. In November, Bazball will be going Down Under in a bid to lift the Ashes urn on Australian soil for the first time since 2011. But before they can focus on overcoming the Aussies, India are in town for this weekend's five-test series. Stokes, 34, has amassed an impressive record of 20 victories in 33 matches as captain, since he joined forces with head coach Brendon McCullum in 2022. This weekend, India are also starting a new era as they will be travelling to Headingley without recently-retired legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While they may be at the beginning of a new phase, Vaughan warned Stokes he cannot afford to take India lightly, particularly ahead of the Ashes in November. Vaughan, speaking at the launch of The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket show ahead of the series, delivered a message to Stokes and said: "I think you have got to do the right thing against India." Assessing Stokes' chances against India and the Ashes, Vaughan added: "He's got the tools to win, but there's having the tools and then using them properly and just having that element of fortune every now and again. Getting your team to play to a level, getting the team to be smart at times, getting your team to win and that key moment. "You need a little bit of fortune to do that as well. I do think if you do everything right and you prepare properly and you treat the game with respect, those elements and the rub of the green generally goes towards the team that deserves the win. I'm a big believer in that. "I think you have got to do the right thing against India. They've got to win, play the right cricket, respect the game. When they get Down Under, they have to prepare properly." Stokes' reign as captain has been impressive, but this weekend's series against India and the winter's Ashes could go some way to defining his legacy. Vaughan insists Stokes will have every chance to lead England to two series victories, providing his decisions are as smart as they are bold. The Ashes winning captain said: "To take Australia, you have to look them in the eyes and you have to take them on. But you have to cover the disciplines really well, the basics. "If they do that and they catch well, they can read the situation nicely. You can't just play one style and one way. "If you go over there playing one way, you'll get found out. They have a tool set and a box of talented players. "Can they go there with a bowling attack and get 20 wickets? If they can, they'll have a chance. If they can't, they'll have no chance." Betfair are set for a big summer and winter of cricket, launching a new show with The Overlap: Stick to Cricket. Don't miss the first episode next week, where the team will be reviewing the opening test of the series between England and India.
India.com
5 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
Ben Stokes just FIVE wickets away to become first England skipper in 51 years to reach rare milestone
Ben Stokes 5 Wickets and 254 Runs Away from Becoming First England Captain with 2,000 Test Runs and 50 Wickets The five-match Test series between England and India will begin on June 20, in Leeds at Headingley. England captain Ben Stokes is about to make history in the home Test series. Captain Ben Stokes has to take five wickets to reach 50 Tests as the skipper. It will make him the 3rd England Test captain to do so. Stokes has 45 wickets at an average rate of 29.95 in 33 Tests in his captaincy. England had Ray Illingworth as the first to do so. He took 51 wickets out of 31 Tests that he led. He had a bowling average of 35.96 as the captain. He also had a five-wicket take. This is followed by Bob Willis in the first position with 77 wickets in 18 Tests as England captain. The bowling average of Willis is 21.59. He has also taken three fifers as captain. To reach 2,000 Test runs as captain, Ben Stokes requires 254 more runs too. Stokes will be the first Englishman to have made 2,000 runs and take 50 wickets as Test captain. Another milestone will be in pursuit by Ben Stokes. To get to 7,000 Test runs, he will require 272 runs. The all-rounder will be the 13th England to accomplish the long-form of the game.
Rhyl Journal
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Jofra Archer ‘absolutely desperate' for England Test return, says Ben Stokes
England looked to have discovered a generational talent when the Barbados-born paceman burst on to the international scene in 2019, but he has been beset by a litany of injury problems and played the last of his 13 Tests in February 2021. It is hoped he will make his first-class return for Sussex against Durham on Sunday, part of a plan that could see him restored to Stokes' squad at some point during a five-match series which begins at Headingley on Friday. There has been an understandable sense of caution about Archer's latest rehabilitation, which was further delayed by a broken thumb, but the bowler himself has made his own intentions clear – at one stage floating a hurried return in last month's one-off game against Zimbabwe. 'He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Randomly, a couple of times, he would just send me a text saying, 'Zim?',' said Stokes. 'I was like, 'Let's just hold it there, all right. I know you're in a good spot right now, but let's not just rush into it'. 'He's obviously had a horrific time with injuries, but he's had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats. 'It's really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he's in a position now where we're able to have a plan in place and hopefully him get through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket.' Having Archer back in the pace armoury would be a massive boost for England in the midst of a seven-month period that sees them take on their two biggest rivals over 10 eagerly-anticipated games. Win against India in the coming weeks, then reclaim the Ashes Down Under and Stokes would go down as one of his country's greatest ever skippers, but he is not ready to think in those terms. 'There's always a different buzz coming up against India and Australia in particular, purely because of how big those series are,' he said. 'Away from the dressing room, we know what these series mean compared to other ones. We do understand that. Hard work in the Headingley heat 🥵 Watch as the boys get set and ready for the first Test in Leeds 📺 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 19, 2025 'But defining a career as England captain isn't something that I sit there and really think about, honestly. If that's what I'm really bothered about, in my opinion it's just completely and utterly selfish and that ain't me. 'I don't tend to worry myself generally about what other people are going to say or think about what I've done as a captain at the end of it. 'I'd like to think that since I've done this role I've done it wholeheartedly and thrown everything I possibly have into doing it.'
India Today
6 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Jofra Archer desperate for England Test return, says captain Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes has revealed that Jofra Archer is "absolutely desperate" to feature in England's upcoming Test series against India, as the fast bowler eyes a long-awaited return to the red-ball format after over four years on the who made a sensational entry into international cricket in 2019, has not played a Test since February 2021 due to a series of injury setbacks. The Sussex quick, born in Barbados, was instrumental in England's World Cup triumph and left an indelible mark during the dramatic Ashes that followed. However, his red-ball journey came to a halt with recurring elbow troubles and more recently, a broken is hoped Archer will take a significant step in his comeback this Sunday when he turns out for Sussex in a County Championship fixture against Durham - part of a carefully-managed plan aimed at reintroducing him to the Test set-up during the five-match India series, starting at Headingley. Stokes, who has remained in regular contact with the pacer, said Archer's desire to return has never waned."He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on," said the England captain. "Out of the blue, he'd sometimes text me saying, 'Zim?' - as in, 'Am I in for Zimbabwe?' I had to tell him, 'Let's just hold it there. I know you're feeling good, but we don't want to rush it.'"While England have adopted a cautious approach to Archer's rehabilitation, there is renewed optimism about his had a torrid run with injuries, but he's managed a fair bit of white-ball cricket recently," Stokes added. "It's encouraging not just for England, but more so for Jof. The fact that we can now put a structure in place for his red-ball return is a great sign."A fit Archer would be a significant asset for England as they gear up for a busy stretch - 10 Tests in seven months against India and Australia. A successful summer could see Stokes etch his name among the most revered England captains, but the all-rounder insists he isn't driven by personal legacy."There's always a different energy when India or Australia are in town - we're aware of how much these series mean," he said. "But I've never sat down thinking about how this could define my time as captain. That would be selfish, and that's just not who I am.""I'd like to believe that since taking on the role, I've given it everything. I don't spend time worrying about how people will assess me once it's all over - I just focus on leading this team with everything I've got."Must Watch
