That’s because if England’s Test captain takes over the 50-over gig, there’s a very high chance he might not even make it through the home summer given how susceptible he’s been to injury in recent years.
But to do that and make a fight of it Down Under, they need a full-fit, fully-functioning Stokes to be leading from the front.
Stokes’s injury record has long been a concern for England (Photo: Getty)
Chatter, since verified by The i Paper, that Harry Brook is set to be named the new Twenty20 captain came as no surprise. There was a feeling in the wake of Jos Buttler’s resignation as white-ball captain following England’s elimination from the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February that Brook was the overwhelming favourite to take on the job.
Now, though, it looks a serious consideration for Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, given that it appears the one-day job is now a straight choice between Brook and Stokes.
It would alleviate fears over Brook’s workload in an Ashes year and would perhaps help the deputy take his game to a new level given added responsibility often helps bring the best out of players.
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The argument made for giving Stokes the job is the fact England only have nine ODIs between now and the Ashes – six this summer and three in New Zealand in October. Realistically, Stokes would only play in the six this summer, and the hope is that, under his leadership, a talented squad that have gone into a death spiral can start winning again.
Stokes will do everything to give himself the best chance of reaching Australia. But England cannot write cheques his body can’t cash.
England can help him out by managing his workload and not increasing it both physically and in terms of the demands on his time and mental capacity.
The England Test captain will play no part in the early stages of the county season (Photo: Getty)
Broad, who knows a thing or two about the demands of fast bowling, branded the idea of offering Stokes the one-day captaincy “desperation” when it was first floated last month.
“How many overs has Stokes successfully bowled in the last three years while battling knee injuries?”
“In a way, I think it’s quite selfish to even consider him, because he will say yes because he is Ben Stokes,” Vaughan said.
It’s a sentiment the vast majority of cricket fans would agree with. Let’s hope Key and McCullum see sense before doing anything stupid. Just don’t bank on it.
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