Stokes in salute to his mates

there’s a lot of people in this group, outside of the cricket we play, you’d say are your real friends.

“You find out who they are in tough situations and members of this group have been unbelievable. I think if anyone is going through anything in the future I think it would be exactly the same.”

Clearly the hope is that no one else has to go through what Stokes has been through, with his trial costing him another Test on the sidelines before he was acquitted of affray in Bristol Crown Court.

Stokes believes the cricket disciplinary commission is not a distraction, even though it could still pause his career for a third time and the 27-year-old appears ready for the last stage of the process as he focuses on the twin targets of the World Cup and the Ashes in 2019.

Those are contests in which his team-mates will be ready to line up behind him and, even though he has had the vicecaptaincy taken away, he remains a leader within the dressing room as he always has been.

“Since being in the team, it’s one of the things I have always really enjoyed, being given the responsibility of being a leader out there and being a leader in the group,” said Stokes.

“There are five or six of us like that, who have been given that responsibility so still being one of those is still high on my agenda. I have always viewed my career playing for England as being lucky to be in this situation and you appreciate that a bit more I guess. “And with the World Cup and the Ashes, it’s tough to think about the past when you have such exciting things coming up.” Stokes has one more T20 match in Sri Lanka before coach Trevor Bayliss, below, and his side turn their attention to Test cricket once more. After he suffered with cramp in the last ODI, Stokes’ intense training regime has been called into question. “Since Trevor Bayliss has been our coach, he has always been on to me about doing too much,” he added. “It’s a tough balance to try to strike, but we’ll have a chat about it. I just can’t stop sweating.” At least it is not about his future. Meanwhile, Chris Jordan has flown to Sri Lanka with the prospect of bowling a maximum of four overs but hopes to win back a more prominent role in the England set-up. Jordan is currently seen by the selectors as a T20 specialist, meaning today’s one-off game in Colombo represents the start and the end of his tour. “Any chance to put on the England shirt you have to grab it with both hands,” he said.

SRI LANKA (probable): ENGLAND (probable): Umpires: TV: