"We didn’t need the WTC to make Test cricket special" – Ben Stokes ahead of India series in England

Ben Stokes, like always, speaks from the heart just like the way he gives everything on the field. As England’s Test captain, he’s ready for a tough fight against India in the five-match Test series starting June 20 at Leeds. Both teams are going through changes, but Stokes is expecting a high quality contest.

Some people think India will be weaker without senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But Stokes doesn’t agree. He believes India’s bench strength is strong enough to stay competitive. “People talk too much about experience,” he said. “India always has talent, no matter who plays.”

Even though he’s focused on the present, Stokes admits he’ll miss facing Kohli. The two shared some heated battles on the field, and Stokes got him out six times in Tests. “Virat brought energy and passion. He always played with heart. But even without him, this series will still be intense,” Stokes added.

Stokes has played 111 Test matches, scoring over 6700 runs and taking 213 wickets. In 2022, he took over as captain when England’s red-ball team was struggling. Since then, alongside coach Brendon McCullum, he’s brought a new, fearless style of play. Their approach is simple play attacking cricket, entertain the crowd, and try to win.

Not everyone has liked this style. During last year’s India tour, England lost the series 4-1 after going all-out aggressive instead of being careful. But under Stokes, England has still won 20 out of 33 Tests, showing that results have mostly gone their way.

With two big series ahead against India at home and the Ashes in Australia Stokes knows people will judge his captaincy based on these moments. But he’s clear about where his focus is. When asked if England might already be thinking about the Ashes, he quickly shut it down. “Not at all,” he said, smiling. “Right now, it’s all about India.” He doesn’t like calling this his “era” as captain, but his goals are clear. “I want to take this team as high as possible. I’ll give my full heart and soul to English cricket and try to win as many matches as I can.”

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Though he could easily earn big money in T20 leagues around the world, Stokes has chosen to stay committed to Test cricket. After several injuries, he wants to manage his body and focus on what matters most to him. “What I love about Test cricket is that it gives you chances. You can have a bad day, but then come back the next and make it right,” he said.

Stokes also shared his honest opinion about the World Test Championship (WTC). He doesn’t think it was needed in the first place. “Test cricket was never broken,” he said. “People only started worrying about it because of things said in the media.”

He believes every Test series has always mattered, with or without the WTC. “Whether it's a two-match or five-match series, players always want to win. We didn’t need a new system to make Test cricket feel more important. It already was.” When someone called him one of the last great seam-bowling all-rounders, Stokes laughed and said, “The only thing I’m really great at is eating a lot!” Still, after his recent surgery, he’s come back fitter, bowling longer spells and doing whatever the team needs just like he’s always done.