Since Ben Stokes announced his ODI retirement in the summer of 2022, much of the talk around the team has revolved around filling the gap he left in the England side. As Stokes looks set to unretire, I look at the key factors behind England’s move.
At the most basic level, England want Ben Stokes because they know what he can do. This is a knowledge on many levels, be it his ability to bat at 5, his ability to perform in a World Cup, and his 50 Over record in India.
In respect to the first, England have experimented to try and fill Stokes’ place at five. One option has been to move Jos Buttler up one position, leaving Moeen Ali and Sam Curran at six and seven. The knock-on effect has been a blurred boundary between the end of the top order and the start of the tail. Whilst both Moeen and Curran are capable of starring with the bat, the set up in the series away to South Africa felt exposed for having them at six and seven. A return for Stokes would move everyone from Buttler downwards back one slot, leaving the all-rounders in the much more comfortable territory of seven and eight.
The result would be a top six of Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler. As a batting unit this is as strong as you can get on paper, with a set of players capable of thriving in an array of conditions. It also represents minimal change from the 2019 team, with the retired Eoin Morgan the only absence. This is a team that was built on Ben Stokes being a staple at 5, without a clear successor the best option for England is a return to a tried and tested formula.
To get more specific, a World Cup in India presents the perfect conditions for Ben Stokes. In six ODI innings there, Stokes has returned 255 runs at an average of 51, made all the more impressive by the Strike Rate of 138 that he has done this at. The most memorable of these performances is without doubt the rapid 99 he put on in 2021, hitting ten sixes on his way to the score. After a home World Cup in 2019, the conditions of the World Cup this year are a highly relevant point. Going to India, England know just how effective Ben Stokes can be.
Where conversations get most interesting, is in trying to extract how much of the decision is based on factors altogether more intangible than averages and strike rates. It would be obtuse to ignore the reality that Ben Stokes represents more than just a top class player to this England side. Stokes is a talisman, he is a leader, he is every form of motivational cliché under the sun. His exploits in the 2019 final no doubt create an environment where his presence alone provides a stronger sense of self-belief, just look at the mood around the Men’s Test Team to see his ability to inspire.
What this sentiment collides with is the reality that we are looking at a very different player from his 2019 iteration. In essence, an all-rounder has turned into a specialist bat. Stokes’ infamous knee has hampered his ability to bowl, and his presence at 5 now would be to bat and bat only. The ripple effect this has is create an issue of balance for the team. The overs that Stokes previously bowled need to be replaced, making it all the more important that England pick a number 7 who they are comfortable giving a full ten over allocation.
A potential route in this situation, would be to increase the job given to Joe Root. Perpetually fluctuating between underrated and overrated, Joe Root’s off spin is the only real bowling option in the top six (apologies to Harry Brook’s medium pace). If he can be trusted to bowl five or more overs a match it allows for Moeen or Liam Livingstone at seven having an off day with the ball.
In truth, there is no perfect option and this is the most tangible cost of Ben Stokes returning to the team. England have made the call that Stokes’ effect be it with the bat or unidentifiable vibes is worth the hit to the bowling reserves. It might feel like a risk, it might be a surprise, but I cannot wait to see Ben Stokes back in blue.
