“No fear..": Ben Stokes' no-nonsense take on facing Jasprit Bumrah in ENG vs IND test series

Ben Stokes will be playing a crucial role for England in the test series against India.

England Cricket Team skipper Ben Stokes issued a massive warning to the Indian Cricket Team ahead of the first test between the teams. He said that they have no fear of Jasprit Bumrah, but they are well aware of the quality that he brings to the table. 

The England vs India test series is just one night away from now. The series will begin from Friday (20th June) at Headingly in Leeds and will also be the first assignment for both teams in the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), 2025-27. 

Going into the series, Ben Stokes and his team will start as the favourites. This is because they are playing at home, where they are dominant, and also the fact that India are relatively less experienced and are without three senior players in Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.

One of the factors that will decide the outcome of the series for India will be Jasprit Bumrah. The fast bowler, no doubt, will act as a big threat for England as conditions, along with his quality, will be something that will be hard to tackle for Ben Stokes and his team.

We know his class and what he brings to any team he plays for, but in terms of fear, definitely not – Ben Stokes on Jasprit Bumrah

However, Ben Stokes didn’t shy away from making a bold statement, saying that they don’t fear Jasprit Bumrah. He admitted that the Indian pacer brings class with him, but claimed that one player alone cannot win the game for the team. Speaking to reporters, he said: 

“No fear,” Stokes said ahead of the 1st Test match in Headingley. “In international cricket, you come up against quality opposition all the time. We know his class and what he brings to any team he plays for, but in terms of fear, definitely not.”

“I don’t think one bowler alone is going to win the series for either team. All 11 [players] have to stand up. I don’t think there is just one person in either team holding the key to success.” 

Over the years, Jasprit Bumrah has troubled English batters a lot. The pacer has picked 60 wickets in the 14 games against them. On England soil, he has bagged 37 wickets at a sensational average of 26.27 in nine games. 

England have named the playing XI for the first test against India. The highlight of the team was that they dropped Jacob Bethell and opted for Ollie Pope at three. Chris Woakes returns after a while and will be there as a fast bowler along with Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and skipper Ben Stokes.

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