With under a month to go before the new England captain is put to the test on the field, a lot of speculation will be made on who Ben Stokes is set to choose in his squad for his first Test match against New Zealand, which begins Thursday 2 June.
The Durham all-rounder was made England’s new red ball captain shortly after his predecessor, Joe Root, took the decision to step down from the role on Good Friday.
Stokes has already made his mark on his intentions for the role by stating: “I just want to win games.
“At the end of the day the most important thing is winning. I want to be part of a team that has the real mentality, that doesn’t take a backwards step.”
The Ashes and World Cup hero also made the choice to return to number six in the batting order.
The 31-year-old has played in all manner of positions within the squad but has said: “I am going back to No 6. I know I am at my best for England when I am doing both roles (bowling and batting) as much as the other.”
Comparing the two main positions in which he bats - five and six - Stokes has played 76 innings in number six, scoring six 100s at an average of 36.44. In his 49 innings at number 5, Stokes has scored five 100s at an average of 39.55.
His other immediate change will come to the delight of many English fans as Stokes has not been shy about expressing his desire to bring back the dejected veterans, James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
With only a few weeks to go before his first Test match as captain, and a plethora of players from which to choose, let’s take a look at who should be included among 10 players…
1. Tom Abell - Somerset
Abell featured on the England Lions tour back in December and made a stunning impact. Most recently, he has enjoyed a 2022 County Championship average of 50.16 for Somerset. Abell has been so close to earning his England call-up and as England look to refresh their squad, now is the perfect time to bring the 28-year-old in.
2. Zak Crawley - Kent
A man with mixed results for England but his late arrival in the Ashes squad in December injected some much needed runs into the series. The Kent opener then went on to score a century in the first West Indies Test match followed by 68 in the third. While England’s openers need shaking up, Crawley may provide some much needed assistance if he is joined by a newbie
3. Joe Root - Yorkshire
With his stunning personal record in 2021, Root is set to be an absolute certainty despite stepping down from his role as captain. He scored 1,708 runs in 2021 alone and his 2022 record looks on set to finish in a similar manner. Stokes is sure to rely on Root’s experience during his first Test as captain.
4. Tom Banton - Somerset
Banton is another name that has been touted to join the Test side for around the English for some time and the Somerset man is currently enjoying a 2022 average of 41.66 in the County Championship. He is yet to make his senior Test debut, but the 23-year-old could be an excellent hit of youthful energy in a ‘new-look’ England camp.