Ben Stokes has made it clear: England’s mission for the summer begins with one priority — winning. The England skipper urged his team to improve, adjust under duress, and step up their game when faced with obstacles in his remarks prior to the opening Test match against India at Headingley.
“It’s about winning,” Stokes told the BBC. “We have a team identity about how we want to go out there and play the game. We’ve 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. One of those areas was adapting better when we’re up against the wall.”
England has played an aggressive, high-octane style of Test cricket since Stokes replaced Joe Root in 2022, winning 23 and losing 12. However, with back-to-back five-Test series against Australia and India approaching, he is advising his players to become more resilient, especially when things go wrong.
“We know that when we are on top of teams, we are very, very good,” he continued. “Where we maybe have let ourselves down in the past over the last three years is when we have been behind the game. We’ve not given ourselves the best chance of wresting ourselves back into the game, and that’s an area that we have looked at and know that we need to get better at if we want to end up being where we want to end up being as a team.”
This very weakness has been made clear by England’s previous losses, which include a 423-run loss in Hamilton and significant losses to India eighteen months ago. Stokes said the team now needs to learn to be more intelligent in those circumstances.
“It’s just being smarter in those situations when it’s obvious that the opposition is on top of us,” he explained. “We just felt like, as a team, that the area of improvement… is actually soaking up that pressure, and allowing ourselves a better opportunity to then apply the pressure back onto [the opposition] in the way that we know we can.”
“When we have lost, we probably look back on those moments [and think], ‘Could we have been a lot better at slowing everything down, and understanding where we are in the position of the game to then allow us to play in that natural way that we like to go about things?’ Having those reflective moments and honest conversations within the group is what can take teams to the next level.”
According to Stokes, the change isn’t in England’s will to win, which has always existed, but rather in how they handle pressure and define success in thrilling, goal-oriented cricket.
“[It’s] not that we never wanted to win every game that we played, but it’s changing what we say and how we say it,” he said.
“We want to be playing exciting games of cricket because we know that’s what brings the best out of individuals and us as a team. But it’s about winning.”
While India enters a new era without the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R Ashwin, Stokes is not underestimating the challenge.
“The pool of talent that Indian cricket has is just ginormous,” he said. “Three massive names, three people who have done wonderful things for their country, but it’s not going to be any easier for us because those three big names aren’t here.”
Despite looming Ashes talk, Stokes refused to look past the task at hand.
“We have been good over the last three years. I think results show that,” he told talkSPORT. “But we want to be better than good.”
England confirmed their XI on Wednesday, with Ollie Pope retaining the No. 3 spot, edging out Jacob Bethell. Stokes backed the decision, citing Pope’s consistency and recent form.
“Having him at No. 3 since I’ve been captain, over a three-year period, averaging over 40, it speaks for itself,” he said. “Scoring 170 in his last Test match [against Zimbabwe] has shown how well he’s handled that extra scrutiny.”
Meanwhile, Bethell will turn out for Warwickshire in the County Championship, and Jofra Archer is set for a highly anticipated red-ball return with Sussex at Durham — a prospect that excites Stokes.
“Jof’s tracking really, really well to be available,” Stokes revealed. “I know he’s been absolutely desperate to play Test cricket again for England… Seeing him back out playing and being in a situation now where he’s building back up to be in contention for selection for the Test team again is very, very exciting.”
