England batter Ben Stokes revealed that the fact he was in the team as a specialist batter provided him with more clarity in regards to his role and allowed him to bat with more freedom while at the crease.
Stokes hit 15 fours and nine sixes while playing as a specialist batter as his 182 helped England thump New Zealand by 181 runs at The Oval on Wednesday. He eclipsed Jason Roy's 180 against Australia in 2018 to claim the record for the highest individual score by a men's player for England in ODI cricket.
Consistent No.3 Dawid Malan briefly attempted to steal the limelight with an excellent knock of 96 in a partnership of 199 with Stokes, but it was the record-breaking innings from the England Test captain -- in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup Final - that stood out on a dominant day for the hosts.
"This is the first time that I've been clear in my mind that that's the one thing I can focus on," Stokes said.
"I think over the last 18 months, every day has been, 'will I bowl, will I not bowl?' Now, I know that I can just focus on that… that's my thing for the team now. Having that clarity in my head contributes to that.
Stokes has not been bowling since July this year to manage his chronic left knee injury.
The left-hander said that his approach, irrespective of the position he bats, stays the same.
"I'd prefer not to go in that early because I want to see the other lads at the top do well. I don't think I've necessarily changed my approach in one-day cricket from all the years I spent at No. 5 or 6… I still think that batting at No. 4, I'll go out with the exact same approach I had at No. 5," Stokes said.
Stokes retired from ODI cricket last year and even told reporters at the conclusion of this year's Ashes series that he had no plans of performing a backflip on that decision and returning to action for the World Cup that commences in India next month.
However, he returned to the England set-up last month ahead of their World Cup title defence in India as he was named in England's preliminary squad.