● Two of cricket’s biggest stars take on extreme batting challenges in the Ultimate Cricket Challenge ahead of England v India Test Series
● Ben Stokes faces 360-power hitting challenge on a floating barge
● KL Rahul proves he’s got the ability to bat in ALL conditions
London, 16th June – Ahead of a colossal five-match Test Series between their two nations that will be watched by hundreds of millions all over the world, England cricket captain Ben Stokes and star Indian batsman KL Rahul – two of the biggest icons in the sport – worked together as they took on the Ultimate Cricket Challenge.
Pushing new boundaries in the world of cricket, the Red Bull athletes came together to face a range of unconventional batting challenges designed to test their skills outside cricket’s usual field of play.
One of the most followed athletes on the planet, KL Rahul is widely regarded as one of the world’s best batsmen and has been a mainstay in the Indian cricket team for over a decade now. During his time representing the ‘Men in Blue’, Rahul has scored thousands of runs in almost every condition imaginable and faced up to some of the fastest and most dangerous bowlers across the globe, often at speeds of up to 150kph.
He had never previously done so atop an 18-wheel articulated truck, however.
Facing up to something completely new, the gun Indian hitter, who is also the quickest male batsman to score a century in all three formats of the game, was tasked with clearing a total distance of 500 metres as he faced eight deliveries from a bowling machine.
Following this, it was the turn of England’s legendary Test captain Ben Stokes to break new cricketing ground.
Stokes has been a stalwart in the England side since his debut in 2011, single-handedly winning games for his country many times. He is renowned for saving his very best displays for the biggest occasions, famously delivering man of the match performances in both the ICC Cricket World Cup Final and a crucial Ashes Test match against Australia in the summer of 2019 when his country needed him most.
An innovator in the game with his unique aggressive approach to batting, Stokes was challenged to showcase his trademark 360-power hitting by landing shots on six different targets scattered across a lake while floating on a small pitch in the middle of the water. This was something that even Stokes had never encountered before.
Despite both stars being outside of their usual comfort zones, they demonstrated their remarkable ability to adapt to new conditions by successfully completing the tasks, meaning they advanced to face the Ultimate Cricket Challenge Escape Rooms together.
Four rooms, each with unique challenges to overcome; one firing deliveries from different angles, one bowling at unexpected times and another with a pitch made of various materials, making every ball behave differently.
Rahul and Stokes had to demonstrate their reactive hand-eye coordination, as well as incredible skill to survive before they moved on to the Final Boss Challenge, the ultimate test of teamwork, precision and adaptability. A swarm of moving targets approach the batters, and their task is simple: survive each wave of moving targets until the pinnacle moment, a suspended glass target from a drone octocopter.
Commenting on the project, KL Rahul said: “With each station and each challenge, Red Bull kept hitting me and Ben with something harder! I knew that if the pressure is on and you need anyone in the world in your team, it would be Ben Stokes, so I was happy to have him, and he made the challenges a lot easier.”
England Test captain Ben Stokes said: “I had no idea what we were going to be doing, so that was a real nice surprise! Red Bull has an amazing ability to be able to add the fun and eccentric side of what their brand is all about. It was cool to be able to share a day [with KL Rahul] and get some content together, something that we don’t really get to do that often.”
Cricket broadcaster Nasser Hussain commented: “It was completely different. Not often you are batting in a lake or on a runway! When you get an Indian cricketer and an England cricketer and there is an iconic series coming up, one thing you will never change is the competition between the two. They were hitting that final target for ages, no one could get it, and then I think KL hit it first and Ben was genuinely thrilled for him that he’d hit that target, so there is that competition, but they also enjoy each other’s success.”
Watch Ben Stokes and KL Rahul take on the Ultimate Cricket Challenge via YouTube.
AVAILABLE CONTENT
(free content for editorial use – no restrictions)
– Global Content Asset / News Cut (16:9)
+ Shotlist, Transcript, Visual of Challenges & BIOs of both athletes
– Social News Clip (9:16 / 16:9), Photos and more …
–> via RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Contact: Fabian Ress
fabian.ress@3mpg.ch / +49 173 248 8404
_______
Images free of charge for editorial use.
Credit: Red Bull Content Pool