England’s Test Captain, Joe Root is overwhelmed to welcome the potent all-rounder, Ben Stokes, back in the squad after a long gap. He says the bowling workload of the player should be managed rather than burdening him on the fresh return.
His return was highly anticipated as he took a gap from all forms of cricket in July in order to prioritize his mental well-being and rest his fractured figure.
There were so many doubts if the 30-year-old will be part of the Ashes 2021-22 but his travel via plane to the destination has cleared all the doubts portraying him to participate in the event. It’s been a tough ride for Stokes so far with rain limiting his preparations in Australia.
In his only intra-squad practice match he completed 10 overs, grabbing 2-31, then whacked 42 from 56 balls before retiring.
Notably, the first test starts on Wednesday in Brisbane.
Root added,
“More than anything, it’s really good to just see Ben back involved again in the frame of things and to see him come into the limited game time that we had, and to look as good as he did as well,”
“You always know that when he gets into a game he always wants to put his mark on it and put a stamp on it. But yes, I think there will be an element of managing expectations.
Upon being queried if Ben will be straightaway able to perform after a long gap, Root said he trusts Stokes’ experience.
“You’ve got to trust his experience and, I suppose, our whole bowling group can work collectively to take those wickets and I´m sure Ben will have a big say in that,”
The hero of the 2019 Ashes revealed in a newspaper column last week that he took a nasty blow to his arm in the nets, and nearly choked on a tablet that had become lodged in his throat.
It is pertinent to mention that Root has declined to name the playing XI for the first Test although Australia has named it so. Root says he feels uncomfortable whilst revealing the team details and will do on perfect time.
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