Ben Stokes reveals eating habits behind cramp during long innings in Rajkot
Tuesday 15 November 2016 22:42, UK
England's in-form all-rounder Ben Stokes admits he has suffered more finding food than with opposition bowlers on the tour of India.
Stokes revealed, ahead of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, his sole appetite once he has begun batting is for runs and that an unbeaten score means an empty stomach if the lunch or tea interval arrives.
The Durham star was one of England's most impressive performers in the first Test draw in Rajkot, scoring 128 in his first innings and, of course, laying off his food even in the knowledge it might affect his health.
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"I can't eat when I'm not out, I don't know why," he said. "Our physio, and strength and conditioning and doctor were trying to force-feed me pretty much.
"But I literally can't eat, not even a protein shake or anything. I've never been able to do it.
"That was the reason for the cramp, so they're pretty much on my case to make sure I eat whenever I can.
"It doesn't really affect you in England because it is always freezing...and cramping up does relate back to not eating."
Stokes is also having to deal with a dislike for the local fare on offer in India, at least when he is not occupying the crease and unable to eat anyway.
"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," he added.
"It was hot, and I was cramping up towards the end and had to go off when we went out to field."
But Stokes is pleased to see the rewards coming for his hard work with batting coaches Mark Ramprakash and Graham Thorpe, two players with huge experience of sub-continent cricket.
"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," he said.
"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.
"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."
