England captain Ben Stokes stated on Tuesday he’s decided to be match and firing towards Australia within the house Ashes after struggling along with his knee through the second-Test defeat to New Zealand.
The hosts beat England by only one run to attract the two-Test collection in probably the most dramatic vogue on the Basin Reserve in Wellington
.
It ended England’s run of six consecutive Test wins.
Stokes hobbled at instances through the second Test however declined afterwards to say what the issue was and which knee was affected.
“I have a four-month period now to get it better before the Ashes because I want to be turning up in Birmingham ready to fulfil my role properly,” he stated.
The Ashes begin on June 16 at Edgbaston.
“I’m not going to lie,” the 31-year-old star all-rounder informed reporters in Wellington.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to know something is holding me back. I have been working hard with the physios and medics here.”
Despite his harm, Stokes insisted he’ll play for Rajasthan Royals within the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
Stokes made 33 with the bat in England’s second innings and shared in a partnership of 121 runs with former captain Joe Root.
But he bowled simply two overs within the second Test.
“I bowled a bit and it didn’t feel good, but I have confidence in my seamers knowing that at their best they are a nightmare for any opposition,” he stated.
Stokes defended his resolution to implement the follow-on after New Zealand fought again to develop into solely the fourth group in historical past to win a Test after following on.
“People might not have thought enforcing the follow-on was the right call, but you can’t captain an international team with hindsight,” he stated.
“(Given) the way we ran through New Zealand’s top order in the three previous innings, I thought it was the right decision,” he stated.
England received the primary Test by 267 runs.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com