"There are just too many formats of the game" - Nasser Hussain blasts broadcasters after Ben Stokes gets ruled out of Sri Lanka Tests due to injury
Nasser Hussain has hit out at the broadcasters regarding the amount of cricket across formats after England Test captain Ben Stokes was ruled out of the upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka due to an injury. Hussain expressed concerns that too much cricket is being played in England across formats such as T20, 50-over games, Test cricket, and The Hundred.
Stokes sustained the injury while playing only his third game for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. The all-rounder tore his hamstring while taking a run against Manchester Originals on Sunday.
The New Zealand-born cricketer has a history of various injury issues, which led to him skipping the Indian Premier League this year (for knee surgery and rehabilitation).
Speaking to Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain said:
"Injuries happen in any sport, professional sport, it could’ve been a Blast game, or County Championship games. I don’t think the format got him injured. There are just too many formats of the game. There’s too much pressure on everyone concerned with the game, whether it’s the ground staff, umpires, players. Everyone wanting their piece of the pie."
"County members wanting 50-over cricket, County Championship cricket, rightly. Sky, BBC, ECB wanting The Hundred format as well. People of a certain age who love historically their cricket, wanting Test match cricket. In the end, when everyone wants a piece of the pie, something has to give. Rob Key has to sit there and he’ll be under pressure," he added.
Watch the video below:
"Paying the price of too much cricket" - Nasser Hussain draws similarities between Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer
Nasser Hussain also shared similarities between Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer regarding their injuries. The 56-year-old added that the Southern Brave had to bear the brunt of Archer missing the remaining games for the franchise to manage his workload. Hussain said:
"We hear James Vince at the toss, talk about Jofra. We are hugely disappointed that Jofra is not playing. James Vince says nothing to do with us, ECB have pulled him out. He’s a blow with a long-term history of injuries. You gotta look after your cricketers."
"Everyone wants Ben Stokes to play in every format and a person who historically gets injured has got injured again. So, it’s a consequence of having Blast, Hundred, 50-over Metro Cup, County Championship, Test cricket in a county calendar and a calendar that’s only that finite, and in the end someone’s got give your… Something why our pitch is slightly poor this year."
The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded:
"So, everyone is paying the price of too much cricket and Ather’s [Michael Atherton] has written about it for a number of years, the schedule – no one really understands the schedule, it’s all over the place. He could have got injured anywhere but it’s a consequence of the amount of cricket that’s been played, not just here but worldwide."
In Ben Stokes' absence, vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead England against Sri Lanka in the Test series, which begins at Old Trafford on Wednesday (August 21). As per ECB's update, Stokes is looking to return for England's Test tour of Pakistan, scheduled to start in October.