India v England: Hungry Ben Stokes only has appetite for runs

England’s champion all-rounder spent the best part of five hours with an empty stomach in the first Test – because, he explains, when he is batting he has an appetite only for fours and sixes – with the odd defensive shot thrown in against the spinners, these days.

Stokes simply cannot face food, at lunch or tea, if he is in the middle of an innings.

“I can’t eat when I’m not out, I don’t know why,” he said.

His abstinence causes plenty of consternation among England’s medical staff, of course – especially in the stamina-sapping conditions of the sub-continent, where cramp can strike without fluid intake.

The specialists just have to put up with it, though – for example during Stokes’s outstanding first-innings century in England’s draw in Rajkot – because while the batsman is laying off the food, it means he is instead feasting on runs.

There were 128 of them to the common cause by the time he was done on day two of the first Test, and ready at last for a naan bread or a peck of rice. Until then, no matter what England’s nutritionists tried, they could not tempt him.

“Our physio, and strength and conditioning and doctor were trying to force-feed me pretty much,” said Stokes.

“But I literally can’t eat, not even a protein shake or anything.

“I’ve never been able to do it.”

In what he believes was his first-ever innings of 200 balls or more, Stokes’s regular stretching at the crease proved his body knew he needed nourishment even if he did not.

“That was the reason for the cramp, so they’re pretty much on my case to make sure I eat whenever I can,” he added.

“It doesn’t really affect you in England because it is always freezing ... (but) cramping up does relate back to not eating”.

It does not help on this tour either that the spicy fare of India is not his favourite.

He said: “I don’t like this type of food. I was trying to eat naan bread, daal and rice. But I can’t eat anything – not a banana, nothing.

“It was hot, and I was cramping up towards the end and had to go off when we went out to field.”

However his diet was affected by a breakthrough century in alien conditions, which previously would not have played to his strengths, Stokes has taken great heart from adapting his game so successfully against world-class opposition.

He said: “It’s good to know I can play the different role to the one people associate with me, trying to hit fours and sixes once I get past a certain score – that I can stay in there when it is different conditions.”

“I’ve always known I can hit the big shots, so I’ve tightened up the other things which don’t come as easy – the defensive side of it and rotating the strike.”

It is after much hard work in the nets – with batting coaches Graham Thorpe back in England and Mark Ramprakash on tour – that Stokes has started to look like he can crack India.

He added: “I was doing sessions of not getting out, playing defensively ... no matter what the ball was.

“As nets progressed, I starting getting into a few more attacking shots.

“Putting the hard work into something I’ve always known and always been told I need to work on, it’s a good feeling to then go out and do it against the best bowler in the world in (Ravi) Ashwin and the best team in the world. I think that’s the best feeling I’ll have – all the work I have done is showing up.”

The hugely-talented Stokes is maturing into what captain Alastair Cook described as “our golden player” after the first Test.

Much of the admiration is mutual, of course – but that does not mean Stokes, who had a role of enhanced responsibility as vice-captain on England’s one-day international tour of Bangladesh, has any plans to complete a transformation that might make him Test leadership material.

The irrepressible match-winner can cite one very good reason, in fact, why he does not want to be in charge.

“No – you have to be boring like Cooky if you want to be captain,” he said.

India have added fit-again opener KL Rahul to their squad for this week’s second Test against England in Vizag.

Rahul was ruled out because of a hamstring injury.

Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/banking

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