Cricket

Jos Buttler, England's white-ball captain, has expressed uncertainty about the return of Ben Stokes and Joe Root to the team for the upcoming Champions Trophy. While Stokes has indicated a willingness to return if requested by new coach Brendon McCullum, Root's intentions remain unclear.Buttler acknowledged that the decision lies with McCullum, who will assume full-time responsibility for the white-ball side in January. England has a white-ball tour to India in January, which includes three ODIs, before the Champions Trophy begins in February.Buttler emphasized that the team has performed well in the absence of Stokes and Root, with young players stepping up. He also expressed hope that the pair still harbors white-ball aspirations, recognizing their exceptional talent.Root, England's all-time leading ODI run-scorer, has struggled in recent 50-over matches, averaging just 22.94 since July 2021. Stokes, on the other hand, has maintained a solid average of 43.38 in ODIs over the past five years.Buttler believes that the appointment of McCullum as overall head coach will foster greater consistency between the red-ball and white-ball teams. He praised the performance of Saqib Mahmood, who was named Player of the Series against West Indies with nine wickets in four matches.Buttler also reflected on his own return from injury, having missed four months with a calf problem. He opted not to keep wicket in the series against West Indies to gain experience captaining from the field. While he enjoyed the experience, he remains uncertain about whether he will permanently relinquish the gloves.

Ben Stokes Skips IPL 2025 Mega AuctionEnglish all-rounder Ben Stokes has opted out of the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, scheduled for November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The absence of Stokes, who has been a key player for Rajasthan Royals in recent seasons, is a significant development ahead of the auction.The IPL has released a long list of 1574 registered players, which will be finalized after receiving input from the franchises. The list includes all the marquee Indian players who were not retained by their teams. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, former captains of Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively, are listed at a base price of INR 2 crore. Other notable players at this price point include R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, both released by Rajasthan Royals.Mohammed Shami, who has been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup final due to injuries, is also listed at a base price of INR 2 crore after being released by Gujarat Titans. The auction is expected to attract a wide range of players, both domestic and international, as teams look to bolster their squads for the upcoming season.Stokes' decision to skip the auction is likely due to his busy schedule with the England national team. He is expected to play a key role in the upcoming Ashes series against Australia and the 2023 World Cup in India.

England Test Captain Ben Stokes' Home Burgled During Pakistan TourEngland Test captain Ben Stokes' home in County Durham, northeast England, was burgled on the evening of October 17 while he was on tour in Pakistan. The incident occurred while Stokes' wife and two young children were present in the house.According to Stokes, the burglars were "masked" and stole several valuables, including a medal he received after being recognized in the 2020 New Year Honours list for his role in England's World Cup victory the previous year. Other stolen items included a Christian Dior handbag, a gold ring with England cricket insignia, and bracelets.Durham Police have arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of burglary. He has since been bailed.Stokes expressed his concern about the emotional and mental impact the incident has had on his family. "By far the worst thing about this crime is that it was carried out whilst my wife and two young children were in the house," he wrote on his personal Instagram account. "Thankfully, none of my family came to any physical harm. Understandably, however, the experience has had an impact on their emotional and mental state.""All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been," Stokes added.The burglary occurred while Stokes was in Pakistan for a Test series, which England lost 2-1.

Ben Stokes, the England cricket captain, has appealed for the return of precious items stolen during a burglary at his home while he was away in Pakistan for the Test series. The incident occurred on October 17th at his residence in Castle Eden, North East England, while his wife, Claire, and two young children were present.Stokes expressed relief that his family escaped physical harm but acknowledged the emotional and mental impact of the trauma. He was playing in the second Test in Multan when the break-in took place and returned home earlier this week after the conclusion of the series, which England lost 2-1.Among the stolen items were jewelry, a designer bag, and Stokes' OBE medal, awarded in 2020 for his services to cricket. The medal held particular significance as it commemorated England's ODI World Cup triumph in 2019, where Stokes played a pivotal role, and his heroic performance in the Headingley Test against Australia in the Ashes."The worst aspect of this crime is that it occurred while my family was home," Stokes said in a statement. "Thankfully, they were unharmed, but the experience has understandably affected them emotionally and mentally."Stokes emphasized that his primary motivation in sharing photographs of the stolen items was not to recover material possessions but to apprehend the perpetrators. He urged anyone with information to contact Durham Constabulary and provided the contact number and crime reference.The burglary has left Stokes and his family shaken, but they are determined to move forward. Stokes expressed gratitude for the support they have received and urged the public to remain vigilant against such crimes.

England's coach, Brendon McCullum, has expressed concern over Ben Stokes' struggles in Pakistan, but remains confident in his captain's ability to bounce back in New Zealand. Stokes, who returned from a hamstring injury, failed to make a significant impact in the 2-1 series defeat.McCullum attributed Stokes' performance to the lingering effects of his injury, which he believes may have affected his decision-making as both a batter and captain. He emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences and ensuring that Stokes remains clear-headed in future situations.Despite the series loss, McCullum praised Stokes' resilience and determination. He acknowledged that Stokes is disappointed but believes he will return stronger. The coach emphasized the need for the team to support Stokes and ensure that their messaging remains consistent.McCullum also acknowledged England's struggles in Asia, having lost six of their eight Tests this year. He stated that the team needs to improve their approach in spin-friendly conditions. He emphasized the importance of creating a confident and clear environment where the messaging is simple.The coach expressed optimism about the upcoming series in New Zealand, seeing it as an opportunity for England to learn from their mistakes and bounce back. He highlighted the need for a quick turnaround and the importance of applying the lessons learned in Pakistan.

England's Test series against Pakistan ended in disappointment as they suffered a 2-1 defeat, with a humiliating 112-all out in the second innings of the third Test. Captain Ben Stokes, who returned from injury in the second Test, endured a dismal series, culminating in an embarrassing dismissal in the final innings.Stokes, batting on three runs, opted to leave a delivery from Noman Ali in the 22nd over. However, the ball kept low and turned back in, trapping Stokes plumb on the pads. The dismissal left England reeling at 70/5, and they proceeded to lose their remaining wickets for just 42 runs.Pakistan's spinners, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, proved to be England's undoing, claiming 39 of the 40 English wickets in the second and third Tests. England's successive defeats have severely dented their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle final.Stokes's return from injury has been far from impressive, with the all-rounder managing only 53 runs in four innings. Apart from a knock of 37 in the second Test, he has failed to cross 15 in an innings.England's batting woes have been compounded by the absence of key players such as Jonny Bairstow and Jofra Archer. The team's inability to adapt to the spin-friendly conditions in Pakistan has been a major factor in their downfall.Pakistan, on the other hand, have been buoyed by the performances of their spinners. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan have been virtually unplayable at times, and their ability to extract turn and bounce from the pitches has been a major advantage.The series win is a significant boost for Pakistan, who have been struggling in Test cricket in recent years. It also marks a disappointing end to England's tour of Pakistan, which began with a dramatic victory in the first Test in Multan.

England's batting lineup is likely to remain unchanged for their upcoming tour of New Zealand, despite suffering two heavy defeats to Pakistan. Despite being bowled out for 112 in Rawalpindi, captain Ben Stokes expressed confidence in his top six batsmen.After amassing 823 runs in the first Test, England's batting faltered in the subsequent matches, scoring only 814 runs for 40 wickets, with 39 of those dismissals coming to spin. Ollie Pope struggled at No. 3, scoring just 55 runs at an average of 11, while Stokes himself managed only 53 runs in four innings.Despite these setbacks, England are not planning any major changes to their batting lineup. "They're the best players in England," Stokes said. "We play all around the world, and New Zealand will be completely different [to Pakistan]. But there's no doubt in my mind that we have the best top-six players in England."McCullum also indicated that Pope will retain his spot at No. 3. "It is not an easy place to bat," he said. "Popey will be disappointed with his runs, but I expect him to bounce back strongly in New Zealand."England will, however, be forced to make a change at No. 7, with Jamie Smith set to miss at least one Test due to paternity leave. Jordan Cox is expected to deputise for Smith and take over the wicketkeeping duties.Stokes acknowledged that England's fingerspinners had been outbowled by Pakistan's on favorable surfaces, but praised their efforts. "The difference was the understanding of how to bowl in these conditions," he said. "But our spinners have done a fantastic job."Stokes also confirmed that he is fully fit after returning from a torn hamstring in the second Test. "I worked very hard to get back in," he said. "I just didn't feel like my bowling was going to be anywhere near as threatening as the [other] options we had."England's first Test in New Zealand begins on November 27 in Christchurch. Their white-ball squads will depart the UK on Monday for a series against West Indies.

England's struggles against Pakistan's tail-enders have once again come to the fore in the ongoing Rawalpindi Test, with former cricketer Nasser Hussain expressing concerns about captain Ben Stokes' workload.After reducing Pakistan to 155/6, England's bowlers lost their way, allowing the hosts to mount a remarkable comeback. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, Pakistan's experienced spin duo, played pivotal roles in frustrating England's bowlers, scoring 45 and 48* respectively.Hussain believes that Stokes may be carrying too much responsibility as captain and could benefit from some assistance. "Stokes maybe puts so much energy into his captaincy, into the week of captaincy, he may just need a bit of help when England are seven or eight down," Hussain said.The former England captain also questioned the team's tactics against tail-enders. "Even when England have had pace, I think they've slightly lost the plot and gone just for a bouncer ploy," Hussain said. "They do lose the plot a little bit."Hussain also expressed surprise that legspinner Rehan Ahmed, who had taken three wickets before lunch, was not given an over for the first eight overs after the break. "I was amazed Rehan Ahmed didn't start after lunch. A wrist spinner who'd just got three-for before lunch. I'd have gone with the wrist spinner against the lower order," Hussain said.England's inability to dismiss tail-enders has been a recurring issue in recent years. Hussain believes that the team needs to find a more effective strategy to deal with this challenge. "It's not just today or in this series, but in the last two or three years, they have struggled to get through tail-enders," Hussain said.With England facing an unprecedented series defeat in Pakistan, Hussain's concerns about Stokes' workload and the team's tactics against tail-enders are likely to be shared by many fans.

England skipper Ben Stokes faced a moment of confusion during a press conference ahead of the third Test against Pakistan. A Pakistani reporter struggled to articulate a question about England's impressive 823-run total in the first Test, leading to Stokes requesting the question to be repeated three times.Despite the language barrier, Stokes remained composed and later apologized to the reporter for any miscommunication. England, looking to bounce back from their defeat in the second Test, will face a spin-friendly pitch in Rawalpindi. Stokes expressed confidence in his trio of spinners, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed.Pakistan, on the other hand, have retained their spin-heavy bowling lineup, including Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood. With Pakistan hoping to build on their spin success from the previous match and England looking to dominate again, the pitch conditions will be crucial.Stokes emphasized the importance of batting first, as spin will become more significant as the match progresses. Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie echoed Stokes's sentiments, stating that the near-bald pitch is expected to favor slower bowlers.A victory for Pakistan would signal a significant turnaround in fortunes after a disappointing year in international cricket. Both teams will be looking to take advantage of the home conditions and secure a crucial win in the decisive encounter.