ENG vs IND | Kevin Pietersen slams Ben Stokes for reckless batting

The former cricketer turned commentator Kevin Pietersen has urged the England red-ball skipper Ben Stokes to avoid ultra-aggressive nature and not give away his wicket easily.

In the ongoing one-off Test fixture against India, Stokes struck boundaries to release the pressure. However, in this pursuit, he tried to unnecessarily charge towards the bowlers and gave catching opportunities to the opposition. 

Fielding at covers, Shardul Thakur dropped a catch, which was skied up in the air by the England skipper. 

Soon, Thakur was introduced in the bowling attack, and Stokes again mistimed the ball, but Jasprit Bumrah could not take an easy catch at mid-off. 

In the next ball, Stokes hit a firm lofted shot, to which Bumrah dived and took a blinder of a catch to send Stokes to the pavilion. 

Pietersen urges Stokes to curb his attacking instincts

Pietersen reckoned Stokes should stop being ultra-aggressive and focus on converting his starts into big ones. However, he admitted that the England skipper has the ability to send best deliveries into the stands. 

“I would tell Ben Stokes that he doesn't need to prove a point by being ultra-aggressive,” Pietersen told Sky Sports.

''Ben Stokes has an aura that when he walks out to the wicket, the bowler needs to be bowling his best deliveries in order to get him out. And sometimes their best deliveries, they know, are going to get hit for four, and sometimes get hit for six."

The former England cricketer feels Stokes is trying to command authority by charging towards the bowlers. 

"What I see at the moment with Ben Stokes is someone who's the captain, the leader, and he is trying to command some sort of authority by running at bowlers," he added.

The 42-year-old reckoned that Stokes can also match the performances of Bairstow, who hit a hundred in an ongoing fixture but needed to be patient and better at his shot selections. 

"Ben Stokes can stand still and do what Jonny Bairstow's doing here today. He doesn't need to run at bowlers, he doesn't need to lose his head, and he doesn't need to slog balls straight up in the air when England are in all sorts of strife."

The Stokes-led team's positive attitude helped them secure a series white-wash against New Zealand. However, the same batting unit has failed to perform as per expectations in the ongoing fixture.