As England commenced their preparations at the soon-to-be-renamed Niranjan Shah Stadium, they were likely pleased to witness their captain Ben Stokes vigorously bowling during practice. However, it seems improbable that the versatile allrounder, who had declared his decision not to bowl following knee surgery in November, will actually take up bowling duties when the third Test commences on Thursday.

This upcoming match signifies a significant milestone in the career of a player who, beyond his prowess on the field, will be renowned for revolutionizing his team’s approach to cricket.

The Rajkot Test will mark the 100th Test appearance for the 32-year-old.

Stokes, a pivotal figure in England’s victories, is shaping a distinct legacy in Test captaincy by instilling an entertaining ‘Bazball’ style alongside head coach Brendon McCullum, resulting in England winning 14 out of 20 Tests under their leadership.

Teammate Ollie Pope commended Stokes’ achievement while admiring his ability to elevate his performance and deliver exceptional innings, particularly under intense pressure both individually and for the team.

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Ollie Pope Lauding Skipper Stokes

“He has probably changed the game in a lot of respects, he has just got a way of bringing out the very best of him when the team needs it. Even in the Ashes at Lord’s (155 in the second innings) , which I remember thinking about ‘how does he obviously take it to a new level when all the pressure is on him’,” Pope told the media on Tuesday.

“The amount of times he’s done that over his career of 99 Tests so far is unbelievable. For anyone to play 100 Tests is an unbelievable achievement. He’s obviously had highs and lows in his career, but what he’s done (since) he’s been captain, he’s been amazing and there’s so many special moments that he can look back on his career,” Pope added.

“I was there in the eleven when he took (on) the captaincy role. He made it pretty clear that I was the man for the No. 3 job and that just gave me a lot of confidence. His man management was excellent. He seemed like he’s got as much time for everyone in the squad whether that be the physios or the doctors, as he does for his eleven on the pitch as well. We’re not allowed to say Bazball” the England batter further added

Former England captain Michael Vaughan had also recommended Joe Root earlier to ‘forget Bazball’.

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