HALES STOKED UP TO CARRY ON SCORING
ALEX HALES admits he must stop blowing hot and cold if he wants to keep the heat on Ben Stokes and retain an England spot.
The Notts big-hitter hopes his matchwinning knock on Friday – which kept the T20 series with India alive – is enough to stop his rival pushing him out of the side for today’s decider.
Stokes (right) is itching to get back in having recovered from a hamstring injury and smashed 90 for Durham against Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast.
He sustained a bruised foot but is expected to be fit to play if selected.
But Hales, whose unbeaten 58 off 41 balls in Cardiff led England to a last-over win and squared the series, said: “I’m doing all I can to score as many as possible and to keep putting pressure on the guys who want to come back in. “We will have to see what happens. If it’s me who gets left out, what can I do? We have a strong team at the moment and all I can do is train hard, be positive and have a decent mindset.
“Just like Jonny Bairstow did when he got a chance to play, he delivered. Now he’s scored four hundreds or whatever in the last seven games. I guess I am in that role now. “The batting line-up is quite strong. Jos Buttler is batting on a different planet right now and I have to adapt wherever I find myself in the team. “I’m now 29 and I am at the stage where I want to be a consistent run scorer. I know when I get going I can be dangerous.
“It’s just about doing it every time I go out there to bat whether it’s opening or going in at two, three or four.” Hales believes Eoin Morgan’s men can now finish the job in Bristol. He said: “We bounced back in Cardiff and showed a lot of character. We now have a must-win game but we are the ones with the momentum.
“The bowlers were brilliant, especially Adil Rashid. The Indians were looking to line him up with the short boundaries, and to go for less than 30 was amazing. “It’s about doing the right things under pressure and remaining composed.” England v India
Today, 2pm, Sky Sports Main Event