Ben Stokes dismissed concerns over the absence of Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin and stressed on India’s depth and talent ahead of the challenging five-Test series in England.
With England all set to welcome India in a long-awaited five-Test series, the debate of missing some of India’s cricket’s biggest stars, namely Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, topped the agenda. All three of them, regarded to be the pillars of the Indian new era in Test cricket, have announced their retirement from red-ball cricket lately, which led to the discussion about the future impact it may have on the competitor level of the Indian squad. But England captain Ben Stokes has stepped up to counter the speculation, as he and his team are presently not underestimating India.
The possibility of India being crippled by mere loss of some old names does not arise as far as Stokes is concerned. Though admitting that Kohli, Rohit, and Ashwin are legends, he pointed out that this humungous pool of young, new players is the cornerstone of Indian cricket since it has been churning out world-class cricketers who have always managed to scale the dizzy heights. To him, he believes that it is not only India with its established names that are strong, but also there exists depth on the bench, and India faces no threat in this owing to the strength of the domestic structures and the leagues that have been created, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL).
After spending some good time in the IPL himself, Stokes has been able to see the quality of young Indian players waiting in the pipeline. He mentioned that most of these emerging stars have already made their mark in situations of intense demands and are well capable of performing bigger roles on the global big stage. The England cricket captain well knows that although Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin have established a legacy, the new personnel will have new blood and a desire to make a mark in the international arenas, particularly on foreign soil.
Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, the Indian team is actually beginning a new era in the longest form of the game. The fact that experience had been lost is irrefutable, but the current form and depth of the team provide sufficient reason to claim that India is in no way a pushover. According to Stokes, the peculiarity of international cricket never leaves any space for complacency, especially when playing a team like India. To him and his team, each Test match played against India is a war and needs concentration, discipline and respect for the opposition, irrespective of who is in the team sheet.
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Brushing aside the batting and leadership front, focus was also on the bowling attack of India, which happened to be spearheaded by pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who would be in the forefront in the English conditions. Although Stokes conceded that Bumrah has proven to be a quality bowler in the international field, he did not want to make a player the centre of the England strategy. Rather, he repeated the need for treating the whole Indian bowling outfit with an equal sort of attention, as there is diversity and talent in them. Stokes remarks that a single strategy to deal with a single threat is not enough to ensure the success of a team; the organisation of activities should be based on a joint force of the opponent.
The series will be a competitive encounter, with both teams having a balance of experience and youth, as the two sides will be put to the test to determine the depth and flexibility of each team. In the case of India, this tour will present them with a chance to establish a new era and show the world that it is possible to go through the process of changing generations without any hitch or without any hitchhiking. England are a team at home, and they have an opportunity to flex their muscles but at the same time gel with a vibrant Indian team.
Ultimately, we see the point well made by Ben Stokes; the names are different, and so is the respect for Indian cricket. England is not underestimating the task to be performed. The scene is right to see an exciting series that can be a future icon of Test cricket of the two countries, and Stokes will be prepared to take his team into the battle, which, as far as one can tell, is no easy job.
