My goal was never to become a leader: England Ben Stokes

England Ben Stokes before to the first Test in Hyderabad He spoke candidly about Bazball, leadership, Test cricket, and his friendships with MS Dhoni, Stephen Fleming, and Brendon McCullum over the chat.

The England skipper spoke with JioCinema exclusively for an exclusive piece titled Inside-Out with England Ben Stokes.

Regarding Bazball

The media is the one that coined this expression. anything we make an effort to avoid. It simply flowed from our performance and accomplishments over the previous two years. Although Baz despises it, we don’t always like it! We just try to say that’s how England plays Test cricket whenever that word comes up.

Regarding if he had ever considered himself a leader

To be honest, I never really gave it any attention or had any goals to accomplish. In age-group cricket or at any other level, I never really had a lot of responsibility when it came to captaining or anything else. With the Durham Academy, I was able to sample it somewhat.

I was offered this chance and I was unable to decline it. I’ve truly enjoyed this position and have grown into it. I adore everything that goes along with it, including the accountability of providing care for people from a variety of perspectives. In or out of the field, that is the question. Recognizing that no two people are the same, especially when playing a team sport, and accepting that various people have distinct personalities. That has aided in my own development. simply taking great pleasure in the duty of advancing anything.

Regarding methods to enhance Test cricket

I belong to the type of cricket player who has been lucky enough to experience the evolution of the sport. For me, it all comes down to test cricket in particular. It’s my preferred format. A portion of that can be attributed to the amount of effort required to succeed.

When a five-day test match is complete and you’re sitting in the changing room after winning that game, there’s nothing more satisfying than looking back on the five days and realizing how much work you had to put in to get there.

With all due respect to other formats, what they don’t provide you is five days of nonstop work, the physical toll it takes on your body, and the physical toll it takes on the other players on the field to try to help the team win. I still think that test cricket is the best form of the game, no matter how it has changed.

Regarding the Chennai Super Kings’ recent IPL victory and the parallels between his friendship with Brendon McCullum and that of Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni

You mention that in the end, we prevailed, and for that, I was given the TFC Award, or “Thanks for Coming” award. Needless to say, things didn’t quite go as planned because of the injuries and other issues. But simply being a member of such an amazing team as Chennai. When I used to play in Pune, I collaborated with Fleming and MS. I thought it was amazing how Fleming and MS complimented one another.

The assurance they possess in their decision-making abilities, as both coach and captain. Being a part of the activity gives MS an emotion that is sometimes absent when one is observing from the sidelines. I think they both have an amazing understanding of it.

But one thing MS and Flem do, and something Baz and I always try to do, is to always consider what’s best for the team when making any decision, whether it’s a hasty one involving selection or not. Baz and I try to always follow that while passing judgment.”

Regarding his methodology for choosing spinners

I believe that inexperience can occasionally be overanalyzed. Without a doubt, especially in this setting, experience helps players feel more at ease and calm. However, we believe that the spinners we have chosen for this tour will offer us the best chance to defeat India.

For me, it’s not just about the spinners; it’s also about recognizing their potential, letting them use it, and providing them with the finest platform and opportunity to concentrate on the game of cricket rather than obsessing about the result. It is your responsibility as a bowler to consider taking wickets. It’s all about getting out there and scoring runs as a batsman. Anything beyond that would be overly complicated. All I’m doing is removing your worry and fear about the result.

Regarding the difficulty of defeating India in India

It’s difficult to win a game in India, let alone a five-match series. Any team that has come here has had the goal of taking over India. We respect and are aware of that. Once more, though, the key is opportunity. We have a fantastic chance in front of us. I believe our team, which includes seam bowlers, spinners, and hitters, will provide us with the best chance to win a series in India.