Ben Stokes Offers Hope for England as He Considers Bowling in Final India Tests
After a crushing defeat in Rajkot, England’s hopes for the series rested on a glimmer of hope offered by their talisman, Ben Stokes. Despite undergoing knee surgery and ruling himself out of bowling until the summer, Stokes hinted at a possible return with the ball for England in the final two Tests.
His ability to bowl at 100% intensity in training suggests faster recovery than anticipated. While cautious, Stokes acknowledged the possibility, stating, “I’m not saying yes, I’m not saying no.” This could be a game-changer for England, who have struggled with their bowling balance in his absence.
“I have progressed a lot faster than I thought I would. Me being me I’m always very optimistic about most things. That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk.”
Stokes’s ability to reverse swing the ball and bowl longer spells could be crucial in the subcontinent conditions. This is especially true considering England’s current bowling woes, with both James Anderson and Mark Wood seeming unlikely to play after their workload in the scorching heat.
Ollie Robinson is expected to debut, while Shoaib Bashir could return to support the young spin duo. However, the key lies with Stokes. His return to bowling would alleviate pressure on Joe Root, who has carried the all-rounder’s burden, bowling a career-high 107 overs and witnessing a dip in his batting form.
While acknowledging Root’s dedication and dismissing the notion of his bowling impacting his batting, Stokes emphasized, “He’s influenced so many Test matches with the bat […] I think he under-bowled himself as a captain.”
“I think he’s a lot better than he gives himself credit for. But by no means do I think him bowling more overs is the reason as to why he’s not getting the runs he would like to.”
Whether Stokes dons the bowling hat remains to be seen, but his mere suggestion injects hope into England’s fight for survival in the series. His presence, both with bat and ball, could be the turning point they desperately need.
