Test skipper warns Stokes will need time
TEST captain Joe Root has cautioned that Ben Stokes will need time to get back to his worldbeating best, but believes the all-rounder’s presence in the Ashes squad has already given England’s hopes a big lift.
Stokes will be on the plane when England’s Test specialists and Lions squad head for Brisbane on Thursday after ending a selfimposed hiatus from the game, during which he opted to prioritise his mental health and rehabilitation from a badly broken index finger.
Not only does a fit and healthy Stokes balance the team with bat and ball, the legacy of his previous performances – not least his ‘miracle of Headingley’ against the Australians in 2019 – carries an aura that can raise the spirits of his team-mates and sow seeds of doubt in their opponents.
Root, who will lead the first part of the red ball camp while head coach Chris Silverwood oversees the remainder of the Twenty20 World Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates, is delighted to have his right-hand man aboard but realistic too.
When the first Test gets under way in Brisbane on December 8, Stokes will not have played competitive cricket for almost five months.
“Although we all know what Ben is capable of, and it’s a huge boost to us as a squad, we’re still managing expectations,” said Root.
“He’s been out of the game a long time, he’s had a serious injury and he’s got a lot of work to do to get himself back to the Ben Stokes we all know.
“But speak to anyone within the game on whether they’d prefer to have Ben in their team or not and everyone would say they would.
“If there’s one thing we can bet on with Ben it’s that he’ll do everything he can to ready.”