BIG BEN.. BIG GAME

England need their talisman to regain form

ENGLAND are banking on their big guns to fire for their toughest one-day game this year – especially Ben Stokes.

With one big hitter, Jason Roy, set to miss today’s final winnertakes-all clash against India in Leeds with a finger injury, they could do with Stokes finding his mojo again.

Joe Root enjoyed a return to form at Lord’s with his first hundred of the summer, but as yet this season has been one of struggle for their talisman all-rounder Stokes.

Fitness has been his biggest problem with a torn left hamstring after the first Test against Pakistan keeping him on the sidelines until his T20 return in Bristol last week.

“It’s a chance for him to prove how good he is again,” said Durham and England team-mate Mark Wood. “Everyone knows how good a player he is, but coming back from a bit of time out, he’s probably desperate to do well and be that matchwinner again.

“Big games call for big players. I definitely know Virat Kohli will be right up for it and he’s the biggest of all, so if they’re right up for it we’ve got to make sure we are at the same intensity and level that they are.

“India are a quality team so maybe we’ll have a game plan to certain batters, they’ll have a game plan for him and it might just take him a little bit of time to work out certain situations.

“But he’s got good game management on the field, I think. The other day he scored slowly for him, which is unusual, but at the same time we lost a few wickets and he wanted to make sure we got a score.

“It takes a bit of time to get your form back, your rhythm back and everything like that so I’m sure the more he plays, the better he’ll get.” Stokes also has the small matter of his impending court case on August 6 on a charge of affray for him to try to put to the back of his mind. Only he knows whether it is having any impact, but it is clear that the player England had come to rely on in the early part of last summer has not yet been seen this season.

With Roy missing out today, James Vince will earn an unexpected recall to England colours for a sixth cap at the top of the order with Jonny Bairstow (left) for the first time since 2016 when he opened against Bangladesh.

Alex Hales has a side injury, while Dawid Malan is playing for the Lions to prepare for the Test series.