"It's just a number" - Ben Stokes on his upcoming 100th Test appearance for England
England captain Ben Stokes brushed aside the milestone of playing his 100th Test as just a number ahead of the third Test against India in Rajkot.
The 32-year-old will become the 16th English player to represent the nation in 100 Tests when he leads the side in the third Test of the five-match series against India.
Having made his Test debut in the 2013 Ashes, Stokes has become arguably the most valuable player in the England setup, owing to his ability to produce match-winning performances.
Speaking to BBC, Stokes remained thankful for his opportunities but did not believe the milestone Test held much significance compared to any other game.
"It's just a number. I don't want it to sound like I'm not thankful for the opportunities I've had, but with milestones, it's not done until it's done. Every Test is just as important as the next one. Then there's the next one, which will be 101 - it's just one more. It's a sign of longevity, but 99, 100 or 101 doesn't make much difference," said Stokes.
The champion all-rounder admitted to reflecting on the achievement once he walked away from the sport.
"There will be a time when I can reflect a bit more. Whilst I'm still playing and wanting to achieve a lot, then driving the team, giving individuals the best platform for them to be successful is where all my thoughts are at the moment," added Stokes.
With 6,251 runs and 197 wickets in his Test career, Stokes is just shy of becoming the third cricketer to achieve the double of 6,000 runs and 200 wickets after Jacques Kallis and Sir Garfield Sobers.
The England captain has scored 13 centuries and picked up four 5-wicket hauls in his illustrious Test career.
"We don't have a plan with where I go with my intensity" - Ben Stokes on his bowling
Ben Stokes said there was no specific plan for his bowling resumption despite constantly ramping up the intensity at the nets.
The 32-year-old has not bowled since the Lord's Test of last year's Ashes and underwent knee surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup.
"We don't have a plan with where I go with my intensity. It's just how I feel at the time, but also not getting too far ahead. The rest of my body has to get up to speed with bowling and this was another step forward," said Stokes.
When asked about the side looking to become the first to win a Test series in India since 2012, Stokes replied:
"It sets it up for a good series. If we play cricket to the best of our ability then we know the results will look after themselves."
After a sensational 28-run victory in the series opener in Hyderabad, England suffered a 106-run loss in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
With the five-match series on a knife edge at 1-1, the all-important third Test will be played in Rajkot, starting on Thursday, February 15.