England Test captain Ben Stokes makes bold claim about team’s future

NOTTINGHAM: England captain Ben Stokes on Thursday, has boldly outlined his ambition to take the national team to the top of the ICC Test rankings, expressing strong belief in his side’s growing dominance and unity.

England currently sits second in the ICC Test rankings following the latest annual update. The 33-year-old has expressed his desire to go one step further and claim the coveted number one spot.

Stokes in his communication with head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Robert Key, did not hesitate to emphasise his focus on that ultimate goal. “When the rankings came out, I did send Baz and Keysy a text saying, we have got one more place to go,” Stokes revealed.

The rankings update saw England leapfrog both South Africa and India, moving into second place. Australia still holds a significant lead with a 13-point rating advantage, but Stokes remains optimistic and determined.

“Everyone knows when things are going well for us as a team we are incredibly hard to stop. We know it doesn’t always go that way,” he said. Stokes emphasised a mindset of control and domination over ruthlessness — a mentality he believes defines England’s Test cricket style.

“The word ‘ruthless’, I’m not a big fan of. The words I do love and what I’ve tried to instil in this team is ‘dominance’ and ‘dominate’. Whatever situation we find ourselves in the game, that’s the word I want to be at the front of our heads,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that England will face Zimbabwe in a one-off Test at Nottingham on Thursday— a tune-up before their ICC World Test Championship campaign begins with a challenging five-match home series against India.