Ben Stokes should look at Sam Curran’s face to learn a lesson, says Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain says Ben Stokes should acknowledge Sam Curran’s disappointment after the all-rounder replaced him in the England side to face India in the third Test at Trent Bridge.

Stokes was found not guilty at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday and has subsequently been named in England’s team to face India at Trent Bridge from Saturday, live on Sky Sports Cricket.

Hussain believes whoever lost his place to the returning Stokes would feel aggrieved, and while he described his inclusion as a ‘no-brainer’ once he was added to the 13-man squad, the former England captain has immense sympathy for Curran.

Speaking on Friday night ahead of the Vitality Blast match between Yorkshire Vikings and Nottinghamshire Outlaws, Hussain told Sky Sports: “Sam Curran definitely didn’t deserve to be left out.

“If I was Ben Stokes, and Ben really wants to change his ways, and have that sort of Ricky Ponting moment where he needs to do something about himself and his behaviour at times – if he thinks that, he needs to look at Sam Curran tomorrow morning and see a lad who’s been left out for no reason.

“A lad who was man of the match two games ago and gave absolutely everything to put England 1-0 up at Edgbaston, and he’s not playing now.

“If ever there’s a moment, Ben needs to look at him and say I was responsible for that, tomorrow when that first ball goes down, that’s exactly when.”

Stokes and England one-day star Alex Hales, who was also out in Bristol last Autumn, could yet face punishment from the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission, which will meet following the conclusion of criminal matters.

The 27-year-old missed the second Test at Lord’s while attending his trial, and while Stokes will now hope to demonstrate he is mentally prepared to compete in a Test match, Mark Butcher believes Curran will return to the fold before too long.

“I think he’ll take it hard, because it’s always difficult to be left out of a team at any time regardless of whether you’ve just put in the two best performances of your life in an England shirt,” Butcher said.

“But I don’t think there’ll be any animosity between himself and Ben. If you look at it in a cold fashion, the guy that’s taken Sam Curran’s place in the side from the start of the series is actually Chris Woakes.

“It’s very tough on the young lad, but he’s immensely talented, and his time will come again without any shadow of a doubt.”

Watch live coverage of the third Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10am on Saturday, on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event.

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(c) Sky News 2018: Ben Stokes should look at Sam Curran’s face to learn a lesson, says Nasser Hussain