Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has criticised England captain Ben Stokes for not prioritising the World Test Championship (WTC). Stokes, who has openly admitted to struggling with the points system, has also expressed frustration with the heavy penalties imposed for slow over rates.

England have not reached a WTC final in the first three cycles. Stokes has been in charge of the team since 2022, leading them for one and a half cycles. In the 2023-25 cycle, Stokes’ leadership saw England finish in fifth place after playing 22 matches over two years. On the 2024 tour of New Zealand, Stokes revealed that he did not focus on the WTC standings because he found the entire concept confusing.

“To be honest, the World Test Championship can be a bit confusing. It’s one of those things that we don’t pay much attention to, and I personally don’t focus on it. Over a long period, if you’re playing good cricket and getting the results you desire, you’ll naturally find yourself in the final and in the mix,” Ben Stokes had mentioned in a press conference.

While Karthik recognised Stokes for revitalising England’s Test team after a challenging 2021, he felt that Stokes’ disregard for the WTC was merely an excuse.

“In the past couple of years, England have focused on is preparing for The Ashes. Here in India, we place great importance on the WTC. For some odd reason, Ben Stokes does not understand the table itself. I wonder if that’s just an excuse,” Dinesh Karthik stated on Cricbuzz.

England had an impressive beginning to the 2025-27 cycle, securing two victories and one draw from their first four matches. To put pressure on Australia, who currently sit at the top with a perfect record, England must successfully chase down a challenging 374-run target in the fifth Test against India at The Oval.