'T20 and Test cricket will progress side by side' - Ben Stokes on cricket's future

Cricket is changing at a rapid pace as T20 cricket is flourishing all around the world. With the mushrooming of the shortest format to make the game popular all around the world, cricket pundits are fearing the death of Test cricket soon. However, England Test captain Ben Stokes feels that both formats can progress together in international cricket.

England will be playing a long summer of Test cricket with one-off Test against Ireland and five-match Ashes series against Australia. Speaking ahead of the Ashes 2023, the England skipper credited T20 cricket for bringing new players and fans into the game.

"I see T20 and Test cricket being able to keep being successful and progress side by side. Look at what T20 has done for the game in general, the amount of attraction it's brought - new fans, new players its brought into playing cricket regardless of the format and also what T20 has been able to bring in terms of Test cricket,” Stokes was quoted as saying by the West Australian.

Stokes further said that the transition between the two games is completely different, however, T20 has helped players adopt aggressive route in Tests as well. "The transition between the two games is so different but at certain periods in Test matches you do see that T20 side come out, which is only because the players have been playing it. So, I don't see a world where T20 and Tests aren't being played in the future."

Ashes will be Bazball's toughest Test

Notably, England are playing an aggressive brand of Test cricket under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. The Three Lions have won ten out of the 12 Tests under Stokes’ leadership and has taken the format by storm by scoring at an exceptional run rate.

During the first Test of the three-match series against Pakistan in December, England scored at 5.50 runs an over to post 506/4 on day one in Rawalpindi, a record for most runs scored on Day 1 of a Test. The upcoming Ashes will be the toughest test of England’s Bazball approach. England have not won the Ashes since 2017 and the upcoming series will be their best chance to regain the urn.