MORE MATURE STOKES READY TO LEAD

THE prospect of Ben Stokes being England’s Test captain seemed remote. There was the danger of compromising the team’s most important player with too much responsibility.

There’s also the off-field problems: sent home from an England Lions tour in 2013 and then cleared of affray after a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub four years later.

Over the course of 12 years and 156 first-class matches, Stokes has been captain in only one, the four-wicket Test defeat by West Indies at the Ageas Bowl in 2020.

But Stokes was back at the Riverside on Tuesday, looking out over the ground where he first made his name, setting out a clear-sighted plan to revive England’s Test.

He has gone down the order to No.6, one place lower than he has been batting for much of the past 3.5 years to maximise his chances of excelling as a fully fledged all-rounder.

“I know that I’m at my best for England when I’m doing both (roles) as much as (each) other,” Stokes said.

“I feel that going back to No.6 is going to allow me to concentrate on those roles, rather than worrying about one whilst doing the other. I feel that’s best for the team …

“I’ve got great senior players around me; it would be stupid and naive of me not to include them in decisions out on the field.”