England all-rounder Ben Stokes is expecting a good show from his team in the upcoming ODI series against India. The visitors were thrashed 4-0 in the Test series, but Stokes hopes to turn the tables against the hosts in the limited-overs format.
Speaking ahead of the first ODI at Pune, he said:“It is a completely different format, different teams. We can’t really look back on the Test series and take it into this one-day series with us. The Test series did not go well for us and we have a chance to come out here and perform well, like we know.”
“We have done well in the last two years against really good teams. We know it is going to be tough. We are full of excitement, full of confidence. We are looking forward to it,” he added.
One of England’s biggest hurdles in their pursuit of winning the ODI series will be the newly-appointed Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
The 28-year-old was the highest run-scorer in the Test series and will look to continue the same form in the upcoming ODIs as well.
When asked about his team’s plans to stop Kohli, Stokes said:“We will try our best to get him out. He has been in major form, has been over the last year and a half. We try to not concentrate on the other team too much. We concentrate on what we do.
He also said that he does not have any idea whether Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be more dangerous as a batsman without the burden of captaincy.
He said:“I don’t know have to wait and see. From watching him, don’t think captaincy affected him much. A pretty calm and cool character.”
Meanwhile,the 25-year-old also expressed his desire of playing in the Indian Premier League.
“I have put myself up for the auction. It is a good opportunity to go away experience a different competition. I won’t say we weren’t lucky in terms of the English summer, in terms of it’s quite hard to get away and go and experience what it is like to play in these T20 leagues.
“This year’s IPL is a chance not just for myself but to a few other English guys to go and experience what it is like and get a different side of T20 cricket rather than just playing in England. I am looking forward to seeing, if I get a chance,” he said.
The three-match series will begin on January 15 in Pune.