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'Wasn't even watching cricket last summer. But the way Virat led India...': Ben Stokes' huge praise for Kohli
Rohit Sharma took over the mantle of Test captaincy after Virat Kohli stepped down from the role following India's series defeat in South Africa.
Former skipper Virat Kohli is in the squad but India have entrusted the leadership to fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the rescheduled fifth Test against England. India, who are 2-1 up in the five-match series, will be led by stand-in captain Bumrah after regular skipper Rohit Sharma was ruled out with Covid-19. But it was Kohli who captained the team in the previous four games, after which the Indian cricket witnessed a massive change in leadership. Rohit took over the mantle of Test captaincy after Kohli stepped down from the role following India's series defeat in South Africa.
India may have established a 2-1 lead in the Test assignment away from home, but England captain Ben Stokes is confident of squaring the series, especially after his team's recent performance. Under Brendon McCullum's guidance and Stokes' leadership, England outwitted world Test champions New Zealand 3-0 in their last series at home.
"We still obviously know that we need to win this game to draw the series. But you know as I said at the end of last week that, at the moment it is bigger than results, it is bigger than you know, what happens on the field, there is more to it. We obviously want to win every game we play but it is bigger than that," Stokes said on the eve of the rescheduled fifth Test.
"I think what we managed to do over the last three weeks is just reshape Test cricket with the way we played.
While Stokes remains crucial to England's hopes of levelling the series, the Indian team comprises a star-studded batting line-up with Kohli, who has 70 international hundreds, looking to end the wait for elusive 71st international ton.
Stokes took an indefinite break to focus on his mental health last year. The New Zealand-born didn't watch much cricket but was effusive in praise for Kohli.
"To be honest, I wasn't even watching cricket last summer, I didn't watch most of it (India-England matches). But the thing with India is, the way Virat (Kohli) led India in Tests, was something to watch. So yeah, looking forward to the contest again," Stokes said.
England dished out an aggressive performance following McCullum's appointment as the red-ball coach. Asked whether his team further elevate the brand of cricket against India, Stokes said, "If there's a team that can, it's us."
"We want people to enjoy us watching play. I think people are enjoying watching us play because they don't know what they are going to get because they don't know how it is going to turn out but they know how we are going to play. I have sort of likened it to the ODI thing we started after 2015 World Cup, everybody wanted to watch us play."
