Botham andStokes are two of the greatest English cricket players of all time.
Since taking over the England captaincy at the start of the summer, his swashbuckling, ultra- positive approach has led to nine wins from 10 matches in charge.
Lord Botham is considered to be one of the best all-rounders to ever play the sport because of his all-action approach to the game.
The rise of the white-ball game, Lord Botham's mission to transform Test cricket and the importance of mental health were all discussed by the guest editor on the Today programme.
In their past 17 Tests, England had only won one of them, including a loss in the West Indies. New Zealand's former captain was hired as England's coach. They have tried to change the way Test cricket is played by creating an atmosphere that allows players to express themselves and provide entertainment that will keep fans coming.
Test cricket has been talked about in a way that I don't like. The fans are losing interest with all the new formats. There are a lot of opportunities for players away from cricket. It is crucial for the game for me. I enjoy playing Test cricket and wanted to do something different.
The result should be taken away from the mindset. It's important to make every day entertaining. People are not allowed to know what is happening. You have already won before a ball has been thrown if people are excited about what they will see.
Botham said it was about putting people on seats. People are interested in watching the game. People want to watch Test cricket again, even though you will lose the game. We lose cricket as we know it if we lose Tests.
Test cricket has been threatened by the rise in popularity of shorter formats of the game, most notably T20s, which give players the chance to earn bigger sums playing in franchise leagues across the globe Some players have to choose which format to play because the schedule is getting more congested. He retired from one-day international cricket in July because it was unsustainable. He played a part in England winning the T20 World Cup.
The scheduling is not getting enough attention. The one-day series between England and Australia is an example. Three games were shoved in there. It was a good idea to schedule a series which was meaningless.
Some people think you should stop playing for England. There's more to consider. International cricket needs to be the best. It's not the way international cricket should be conducted, as we have seen a lot of different squad being picked and players being rested.
Test match cricket is called that due to the fact that it tests all the faculties of a player. Too much emphasis is placed on the white ball. There are a few first-class games in April in England, but they are gone until the end of the season. It shouldn't be unbalanced. It's important to make room for everything.
The idea of a franchise is a good one. I hope we can maintain a balanced lifestyle. Let's see if franchises can maintain that balance.
It was 38 years ago that Botham led England to victory against the same opponents at the same ground after similar heroics by Stokes, and he has grown used to being compared to the great man.
Botham has a lot of great memories. I had another person who took 8-43. I was at Headingley in the middle of the year and I thought it was a good place to play it. It takes a lot of work to watch the Aussies. The box office is run by him. The man empties bars.
It should always be cherished. Everyone who knows cricket knows about that miracle. It's cool that I'm being compared.
Growing up, AndrewFlintoff was the all-rounder. Botham would have been compared toFlintoff. Herschelle Gibbs was a batter for South Africa and he was ahead of his time, you can see that in the picture of Botham. They move the game on. I like to watch players who are not the same.
After a difficult few years that included the death of his father, Ben took a break from cricket in order to focus on his mental health. He hopes his experience will encourage others to talk about mental health, something he discussed in a documentary about his career that was released earlier this year.
It is thought that men shouldn't be seen to show weakness, but I have never had an issue with opening up about my feelings. After receiving messages from people I had never met, I had a lot of pride in myself for doing that.
They were pushed to get help by the section of the documentary that pushed them. Some of the messages were touching.
I am fortunate not to have been in that situation, but I have been around players that have. In those days, they didn't get any help. My hat is taken off by Ben. A lot of players will be more relaxed if they come out and say "I need a break"
The first Christmas guest editor is Botham. His show can be heard on the radio.
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