England all-rounder Ben Stokes responded sharply to experts and fans following the golf controversy during the recently finished ODI series between India and England. Former England captain Nasser Hussain also voiced his support for the England cricketers.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Hussain defended the players, emphasizing that there’s more to life than cricket. He mentioned that the key was for the players to find the right balance.
“They realise there is more to life than just cricket. But just because they like a bit of golf or time away from their hotel room to enjoy the county they are in, don’t make that out to be lazy.”
”When they are at work, from what I have seen, they work hard. You have to get the balance right as you are there to win. It’s as simple as that,” he said (via englandsbarmyarmy/Instagram).
Ben Stokes expressed his gratitude to the former England captain for his support through an Instagram story. The all-rounder questioned how all their hard work seems to go unnoticed, writing:
“The fact how hard we work as professional athletes gets questioned is beyond me sometimes.. Thanks from all pro athletes Nass.”
To provide context, the England team skipped a practice session after their defeat in the opening ODI in Nagpur. Instead, they stayed at their hotel and reportedly held a golf session, which sparked criticism from some. Their 3-0 series loss added to the backlash, with Kevin Pietersen expressing his frustration.
Ben Stokes withdrawn from Champions Trophy and White-Ball India tour
Ben Stokes, one of the top all-rounders in the world, suffered a left hamstring injury during the third Test between England and New Zealand in December 2024. As a result, Stokes was ruled out of the white-ball tour to India, which included five T20Is and three ODIs.
The tour was meant to serve as preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Unfortunately, Stokes was also ruled out of the prestigious ICC event, a significant setback for England.
With a five-match Test series against India and the 2025/26 Ashes tour to Australia on the horizon, England’s management chose not to risk Stokes, who is currently recovering from his hamstring injury.
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