‘I lost 5 kg in a week’ – Ben Stokes reveals dramatic weight loss England players suffered during the fourth Test against India

Ben Stokes, the England all-rounder, has revealed that he, along with his teammates, underwent a massive weight loss during the fourth and final Test against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The 29-year-old Stokes stated that playing in the 41-degree heat had taken a huge toll on the body of the English cricketers.

England went on to lose the four-match series 1-3, but Stokes lauded the Three Lions for trying their hearts out in tough conditions. He also praised the left-handed Rishabh Pant, who scored a match-winning century to put India in the driver’s seat in the fourth Test. The Brits lost the last Test by an innings and 25 runs.

Jack Leach was ducking off the field in between bowling spells: Ben Stokes

“Players are totally committed to England and I think that was emphasized last week when a few of us went down with an illness that made operating in 41-degree heat particularly taxing,” Stokes was quoted as saying to Mirror Sport.

“I lost 5kg in a week, Dom Sibley 4kg and Jimmy Anderson 3kg among others. Jack Leach was ducking off the field in between bowling spells and spending more time than is ideal in the toilet.

“This is in no way an excuse because everyone was ready to play, and India and Rishabh Pant especially produced a terrific performance, but I take off my hat to the effort that was put in by players who gave everything they had to try and win for England,” he stated.

During the series, the experts and netizens lashed out at England’s players for showing a lack of application in the middle. There were also talks regarding the spin-friendly nature of the pitches. However, Stokes wants his mates to stay aloof from outside noises and rather focus on their game.

“Pundits have a job to do and that’s fine. But their responsibility isn’t to make us better players and a better team,” Stokes added.

England won the first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Thereafter, following their defeats in the next three Tests, not only did they lose the series, but also missed out on a chance to play the World Test Championship final.