Ben Stokes eager to ‘dominate every situation' when he returns to England action

Glasgow Times

15-05-2025

The 33-year-old has not played since tearing his hamstring in New Zealand before Christmas, having previously suffered an identical setback in August.
But while he rushed to get back to fitness first time around, working intensively to make the autumn tour of Pakistan, he has now had a longer period of downtime to get his recovery right.
He will lead the side in their first Test of the season, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge next week, and feels confident his body will allow him to get back to his very best.
Ben Stokes is eager to get back on the pitch with England next week (Nigel French/PA)
'My ethos when I'm injured is I come back fitter than I was before I got injured,' he told Sky Sports in an interview with one of his predecessors as skipper, Nasser Hussain.
'I've worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I'm going to be in a position when I am back on the field to potentially be in physically the best possible shape I have been in.
'I feel great. Training and playing are completely different. No matter what you do at training, you cannot replicate the intensity your body is put through in a game.
'But in terms of my role as a player – fourth seamer, batting at six – trying to dominate every situation I find myself in, whether I've got a bat or a ball in my hand, is what I want to get back doing out on the field on the biggest stage.
Stokes, right, will lean on advice from Brendon McCullum as he tries to stay away from future injuries (Nigel French/PA)
'I know I've done it before and it's something I'm very, very confident in myself I can do.'
With an eye on two major series ahead, five Tests against India starting in June followed by a huge Ashes tour this winter, Stokes also suggested he would work with head coach Brendon McCullum on ensuring he did not burn himself out.
Stokes has, at times, been guilty of overburdening himself in the all-rounder role but is seeking to find the right balance.
'I am 33, I don't want to expose myself to a situation where I am off the field when I don't have to be,' he said.
'I talk to Baz a lot about many different things, we've spoken about this kind of stuff and how he's going to help me better, how he's going to speak to me a lot more about this stuff.
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'We've worked together for so long, we know each other inside out and those discussions we've had over the last couple of months have been very good.'
England will have a new face in their coaching ranks in Nottingham, with former New Zealand seamer Tim Southee joining up. Southee, who took 776 international wickets for the Black Caps and retired after facing Stokes' England in December, takes the role of 'specialist skills coach'.
He effectively replaces James Anderson as fast bowling consultant, with the country's record wicket-taker set to resume his playing career with Lancashire this week, almost a year on from his farewell Test at Lord's.
Meanwhile, ex-England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been awarded honorary life membership by Marylebone Cricket Club.
Moeen retired from international cricket last year and has been inducted by MCC alongside former Australia Women's captain Meg Lanning.