Ben Stokes has been given the chance to show that there is no job too big for England’s heroic all-rounder after being asked to lead the Test team this summer.
He is one of the best batsmen, one of the best bowlers, the best fielder and the most insatiable trainer in the side - and now he is captain too. And on the day that the most cerebral of England skippers, Mike Brearley, turns 80, the 30-year-old Stokes can start to think about how he will go about the job starting against New Zealand on June 2nd.
Here’s how he might influence the Test team and mould it in his image...
Skills
The better the players are, the better the results will be. It is a simple fact of the game that the best teams win more matches. The key is for the players to take ownership of their game and improve themselves technically as Stokes has done throughout his career.
He has spent countless hours grooving certain parts of his game to get them ready for Test cricket and he will look for players who are prepared to do the same. Three hours in a net leaving the ball is not much fun, but the value in the middle is priceless and Stokes recognises just how much work is required for players to improve. And if the captain is doing it, then others will follow.
Stokes is happy to take advice from those who can help improve him technically, so expect the new Test head coach to be able to offer more than just platitudes and a decent throwing shoulder. But he knows nothing works better than time spent putting that advice into practice yourself and he instil that mantra into his team.
Character
There will undoubtedly be an edge to any team led by Stokes. He will never back down from a contest and will expect his players to have the same attitude. There is no fear in the way Stokes competes with the opposition and he can set that example for the rest of his team to follow. Too often England teams have crumpled in a heap once the pressure comes on. Stokes has made it his calling card to be able to shift that momentum and with him in front, other players will find it easier to follow suit.
It was often said that the simple presence of Viv Richards at the toss was enough to give the West Indies an advantage, and it is easy to see the same could be true of Stokes. He intimidates bowlers when he walks out to bat, so why not captains when he walks out to toss? There is a sense of pride in Stokes in getting his hands dirty and doing the hard yards, whether it is in the field chasing the ball or dropping anchor with the bat as the situation demands. That happiness to go the extra mile will be expected from all.
Man-management
Good luck to those players who refuse to toe the captain’s line, whatever the issue. Stokes will encourage input and advice from others before he makes a decision, but once it is made, players will need to get on board. That is not to say he won’t foster a supportive and collaborative culture: it is about when players are delivering what he asks for. Stokes is a huge admirer of both Eoin Morgan and Joe Root as leaders, but they have done the job in markedly different ways. The clarity of expectation brought by Morgan is something Stokes has often spoken about glowingly and will look to bring that into his own style.
Off the field Stokes also understands the pressures and myriad of issues facing the modern player, and he has plenty of empathy and support for them. His experiences off the field will help shape his view on what his players may be going through and how best to support them. Root’s caring nature is another quality that he will have learnt from.
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Instinct
One of Stokes’ greatest strengths is his ability to cut through the waffle and get to the point, either in word or deed. He is one of the great instinctive cricketers who is able to assess a situation quickly and react faster than anyone else. This will be vital as captain when he needs to make tactical and strategic decisions that will affect the game, rather than letting it drift, and because his instincts are naturally positive, that should be reflected in the way that the team look to play under him.
One instinct that might need to be tempered though is his desire to use his own talents, particularly bowling, over and above what is necessary. There is no doubt that he might struggle to appear as often and consistently as Joe Root did, but if he can help himself on that front, perhaps by reducing his England white-ball commitments, that would go a long way to help the side further.
