‘Even without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, you can never take Indian team lightly’: Ben Stokes | Cricket News
England cricket captain Ben Stokes believes India will remain a formidable opponent in the upcoming five-Test series starting June 20, despite the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from Test cricket. Speaking in a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board, the 33-year-old all-rounder, who is returning after hamstring surgery, praised India’s deep batting lineup while acknowledging the impact of losing two cricket greats.Both Kohli and Sharma announced their retirement from Test cricket earlier this month, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket.Stokes emphasized India’s batting depth based on his Indian Premier League experience.“One thing about India is their battery of batsmen; it is just incredible. The time I’ve spent in the IPL, they’ve got batters coming out of there… can’t say a word on this in this interview but you know what I mean,” Stokes said.“You can never take any Indian team lightly even if the fact that they are without two of their great batsmen.”Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?The England captain stressed the importance of putting pressure on India early in the Test matches.“We always look to get out the opposition at the start of the Test match and then look to see how we adapt throughout the game as it progresses. But I know they (India) have got two big retirements. They have been such an important part of the Indian team and all the success they’ve had,” he stated.Stokes specifically highlighted Kohli’s impact on Indian cricket and his personal admiration for the former Indian captain.“What India would miss maybe is his fighting spirit out in the game, his competitiveness, desire to win. He’s made No.18 (jersey) his, hasn’t he? So, we haven’t seen No.18 on the back of any Indian shirt. It’s going to be a shame not to be playing against him because we both playing against each other, we both have the same mindset on the field.”
He further praised Kohli’s contributions to the sport.“He’s been incredible. No doubt there’s been a lot of praise for him in India, there’s definitely been praise for him from players here. He’s done really well against England… he’s a class player,” Stokes added.The England captain particularly remembered Kohli’s signature shot.“(He’s) just wow. He’s probably someone I would remember about how hard he hit the ball through the covers. That cover drive would be the one.”Looking ahead to the summer series, Stokes acknowledged the challenges ahead.“It’s going to be a long tough summer. Five Test matches always is, always is against India as well and tomorrow (the one-off Test against Zimbabwe) is the start of the tone setting.”
Regarding his own return from injury, Stokes provided an update on his recovery progress.“Very excited to get going. Last game was in December. Everything’s gone really well. Worked very hard to get to where I am. There’s a lot of excitement around me, getting back on the field.”
