Stokes Urged to Reclaim His Batting Form

Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes current Test captain Ben Stokes needs to revert to his old batting style to regain his form. 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 2022. Hussain acknowledges Stokes had a poor Ashes series, averaging just 18.40 with the bat, but attributes this to injuries and emphasizes the importance of Stokes focusing on his own game and scoring runs. Hussain praises Stokes as a captain, citing his exceptional leadership skills, but stresses the need for clarity and authenticity in the team's messaging. With England sitting seventh in the ICC World Test Championship standings, Stokes is set to miss the first month of the County Championship season due to facial surgery, but is expected to return for fixtures in May. England's first Test series of the summer is against New Zealand, starting on June 4.