Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will walk the talk. All the promises after an Ashes hammering will be kept. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) didn’t remove captain Stokes or head coach McCullum but brought in a new chief selector. Zak Crawley has finally been dropped. Ollie Pope’s long rope has been cut as well.
Ben Stokes to promote Jamie Smith over himself
But that won’t be all. The opening partnership change isn’t all. County Championship performers, Emilio Gay, Sonny Baker and James Rew, have earned call-ups. Stokes and McCullum won’t be as rigid as before. Strike rate won’t be the only thing that matters for batters.
Stokes realises they haven’t maximised their potential. His own batting has been an issue as well. Since he took over as England’s Test captain, the all-rounder’s returns with the bat are on the wane. Stokes has averaged under 40 in each year since 2022. In the Ashes in Australia, he averaged 18.40.
Highest batting average for England in Test cricket (since Ben Stokes became captain)
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Root | 82 | 4054 | 262 | 56.3 | 65.94 | 16 | 13 |
| Harry Brook | 60 | 3178 | 317 | 54.79 | 86.83 | 10 | 15 |
| Jonny Bairstow | 30 | 1241 | 162 | 45.96 | 87.82 | 4 | 4 |
| Ben Duckett | 73 | 2964 | 182 | 42.34 | 88.08 | 6 | 15 |
| Jamie Smith | 35 | 1286 | 184* | 41.48 | 74.76 | 2 | 7 |
| Ollie Pope | 73 | 2700 | 205 | 37.50 | 71.92 | 8 | 10 |
| Ben Stokes | 70 | 2155 | 155 | 32.65 | 61.03 | 3 | 11 |
| Zak Crawley | 79 | 2499 | 189 | 32.45 | 72.32 | 3 | 16 |
| Ben Foakes | 24 | 633 | 113* | 30.14 | 46.99 | 1 | 3 |
For some time now, England have been advised to promote Jamie Smith over him. Batting at number seven, the wicketkeeper batter averages nearly 42. Often, he’s been left stranded, forced to bat with the tail. It’s a role that Stokes has succeeded at but chooses to play over the 25-year-old despite diminishing returns.
Starting with the England vs New Zealand Test series, which kicks off at Lord’s on June 4, that might change. McCullum has hinted that Stokes and Jamie will swap positions. The keeper can play for England for the next decade, and some believe he even has the talent to bat at number four. It’s perfect to maximise his potential.
“Both are brilliant players when they’re at their best. They’re free-flowing when they’re going well. It’s how we get the best out of those two based on the group around them and what’s required. That’s certainly a conversation we are having. We have not quite yet decided, but are more leaning towards making a change,” said McCullum.
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