England captain Ben Stokes has opened up on the physical and mental toll of England’s hard-fought win in the first Test against India, admitting he was left drained in the immediate aftermath of the Headingley clash. While the all-rounder is back to full fitness and raring to go again, he revealed he needed time to recover and reset before turning his focus to the second Test at Edgbaston, starting July 2.
Stokes, who bowled 35 overs and played about 100 deliveries at Headingley, said the five-day battle had taken a heavier toll on him than he had initially expected.
The England skipper recently made his comeback from a hamstring injury, for which he also went under the knife. He returned in the one-off Test versus Zimbabwe and then featured in the series-opener against India.
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Ben Stokes Reflects on Physical Toll of Test Cricket, Says He's Ready for Edgbaston Challenge
Reflecting on the aftermath of England’s gripping five-wicket win over India in the first Test, Ben Stokes provided a glimpse into the physical exhaustion that followed the five-day match. Speaking ahead of the Edgbaston Test, Stokes said:
"I feel better now than I did Thursday and Friday. It was a big week. I used the three days after that game to offer absolutely nothing to the world. I was a shadow of my normal self. It just goes to show how much five-day Test matches take out of you."
Now that he has recovered and feeling refreshed, Stokes has set his sights on maintaining momentum in Birmingham as England aim to extend their lead in the series.
"But I’m all over that how and ready to go (on Wednesday). Let’s hope we can produce something similar again. Obviously going 1-0 is a good start, a very tough-fought victory for us and a long five days, but now it’s about getting back to zero and focusing again on the win here," Stokes added.
Andrew Flintoff and Moeen Ali’s Presence Adds Value to England Dressing Room
Ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston, Andrew Flintoff, head coach of the England Lions, was present during the final training session.
On Monday, Moeen Ali was also seen working closely with the squad. Stokes welcomed their involvement.
"It’s been a constant thing for us, to get some of the greats who’ve represented England into the environment, helping out," Stokes opined.
Stokes believes that keeping past legends connected to the current set-up brings a unique benefit.
"It’s amazing how many good conversations you can have, you know, in a social environment. It doesn’t always have to be in a boardroom or around the table talking about specific things because those conversations that come out of nothing are just as important."
"The more times that we can get people like that into the dressing room and offering their advice to specific individuals is, you know, I think great for this team," Stokes highlighted.
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