12 hours ago
Ben Stokes urges England to produce champagne cricket in blockbuster India series - as he reveals why he is backing Ollie Pope
Ben Stokes suggested England are ready to produce champagne cricket over the next seven months as they look to topple India and claim a first Ashes away win for 15 years.
'Everyone's obviously absolutely fizzing to get going,' said Stokes on the eve of Friday's opening match of five against India at Headingley.
Stokes has revitalised English cricket, the Test side having won 23 of 36 matches since he replaced Joe Root at the helm in 2022, but his legacy will be determined by whether his team are able to build on those results over the next 10 matches.
'There's always a different buzz coming up against India and Australia in particular, purely because of how big the series are,' the 34-year-old all-rounder admitted.
'Away from the dressing room, we know what these series mean.'
While India's top order will be much changed after the retirements of superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — with their new captain Shubman Gill dropping down to No 4 — England have opted for continuity in selecting Ollie Pope ahead of Jacob Bethell at No 3.
'It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was 171, that's pretty much all I need to say on that,' said Stokes of Pope, after his ton against Zimbabwe last month.
'Having him at No 3 since I've been captain, averaging over 40, speaks for itself.'
