Ben Stokes warns Team India after New Zealand series sweep

SportsTak

Ben Stokes-led England whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 in the three-match Test series with an emphatic seven-wicket triumph in the third and final match which ended on Monday (June 27).


Brimming with confidence, England have their next assignment against India in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston beginning from July 1.


Leading his revitalised side from the front, Stokes vowed to carry the same mindset against the top-quality Indian side when they face them in the Birmingham Test starting July 1. India are currently 2-1 up in a five-match series following a 157-run win at the Oval but are now set to face England side likely to feature only four survivors at most from that match -- Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Bairstow and James Anderson -- later this week. 


"Regardless of the opposition, we're still going to have the same mindset," Stokes said after England won the third Test complete a 3-0 sweep against New Zealand.


The dynamic all-rounder, on a mental health break from cricket at the time of the fourth Test against India, added: "Obviously, it's going to be a completely different... different opposition, with their attack and players as well.


"We'll be concentrating on what we've done well over these last three games and look to continue that against India on Friday."


"I knew that everyone would buy into the new mentality me and Brendon set out, but I didn't think it would go this well to be honest," added Stokes.



India's tour of England also comprises three T20Is and as many ODIs, and the visitors will play two warm-up matches against Derbyshire and Northamptonshire before the white-ball series.


England Test squad

Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Joe Root


India Test squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Srikar Bharat (wk).