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'I Only packed clothes for 3 days': England's Ben Stokes surprised after getting captaincy duties for Pakistan ODIs
To explain the unexpectedness of being named England captain for Pakistan ODIs, Ben Stokes, who had been on a break since the India tour, said he had only packed clothes for three days away from home.
In his first reaction after being named as England captain for the ODI series against Pakistan, Ben Stokes said it would be an understatement if he says he was not expecting to captain England. Stokes, who is making a comeback to the England side after the India series in March, was given the responsibility to lead an inexperienced England ODI side consisting of nine uncapped cricketers.
ECB were forced to name an entirely new side after seven members of the England contingent – three cricketers and four from the team management – tested positive for Covid-19.
To explain the unexpectedness of the events, Stokes, who had been on a break since the India tour, said he had only packed clothes for three days away from home.
"To say that I wasn’t expecting to be leading England out in a one day match in Cardiff this week would be a huge understatement. But here we are, and duty calls. I only packed clothes for three days away from home, so there will need to be a bit of extra washing done,” Stokes wrote in his column for The Mirror.
The experienced England all-rounder said he wasn’t even ready to play white-ball cricket this early.
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"With my finger still on the mend, the initial plan for me wasn’t to play any international white-ball cricket at all and just focus on getting absolutely ready for the India Test series, but things change," he wrote.
The England ODI side is minus the first-XI players Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, regular captain Eoin Morgan, wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler, all-rounders Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey and bowlers Mark Wood and Adil Rashid but Stokes believes it is an international quality side which can give a run for their money to any team in the world.
"We might be 20 first choice players down through isolation and injuries, but we will still be putting out a proper international class side with plenty of experience at the highest level. I’m not sure how many countries could lose this many players and still have such quality to choose from at such short notice.
"We are lucky to have the strength in depth that we have in white ball cricket, and this is just a fantastic opportunity for these players to show what they can do," Stokes added.
England are slated to play three ODIs and three T20Is against Pakistan. The first-XI England players, who have been sent into isolation, are expected to be available for the T20 series.
