Nasser Hussain Urges Ben Stokes to Revert to His Former Batting Style

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has expressed his opinion that current Test captain Ben Stokes needs to return to his old batting ways. Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Hussain emphasized the importance of Stokes focusing on his own game and scoring runs. England has struggled under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, losing 4-1 in Australia and failing to beat Australia or India in a five-match series since their appointment in 2022. Hussain believes Stokes had a poor Ashes series but attributes this to his injuries and the team's rigidly aggressive playing style. He suggests that Stokes should prioritize clarity and authenticity in his messaging, both to the team and to County cricket, and that the captain should be judged solely on his runs, wickets, and catches. Stokes is currently recovering from facial surgery and is expected to miss the first month of the County Championship season with Durham.