Weather permitting, Ben Stokes will mark his 35th birthday by playing cricket for his country at Lord’s on the first day of the summer's first Test match. And in the modern era, few characters have been as celebrated as one of English sport’s most buccaneering heroes.
Four years ago, Lord’s witnessed the swashbuckling start of the Brendon McCullum-Stokes era
England chased down a target of 277 in the final innings with five wickets to spare. It was the first victory of a 3-0 series win and the launch of Bazball. The opposition then was New Zealand, the opposition on Thursday will be New Zealand. But if the summer of 2022 was the McCullum-Stokes honeymoon, the summer of 2026 looks like a last chance to keep it working.
The Ashes debacle could have meant a parting of the ways - to many, it should have meant a parting of the ways - but they are hanging in there together. Like you do for the sake of the kids. In McCullum’s case, his contract as England’s all-format head coach runs until the 50-over World Cup in South Africa in the autumn of 2027, and perhaps the potential compensation pay-off has helped keep him in his role. In Stokes’s case, his heroics and leadership down the years have earned him the right to decide when and where he wants to relinquish the captaincy. But he is an immensely proud character.
Stokes does not just need to lead his side to Test victories, he needs to feel he can still produce match-winning performances with both ball AND bat
His bowling has been good and there are suggestions he might be firing on even more cylinders with the ball in hand this summer. But Stokes’ batting has been in alarming decline. It has been a decline that has been going on for some time. Stokes has only one century in his last 46 innings. He averaged 18.40 in the 4-1 Ashes humiliation and scored only 24 runs in his last five innings in that series. Watching him bat in Australia was painful, the man who symbolised belligerence at the crease being bogged down by inevitably unsuccessful defence.
Dropping down to number seven in the order, Stokes might be compelled to rediscover his aggression and adventure with the bat. So that might be no bad thing. And it goes without saying he is a character who can respond magnificently when doubted. But no matter how inspirational the figure, a leader needs to perform on the field. Stokes cannot be a passenger with the bat. And one or two compelling efforts with the bat will give Stokes the impetus his captaincy needs. Because after those heady days of four years ago, the McCullum-Stokes era is in danger of going stale. And when the Test summer begins on Ben’s birthday, it badly needs a lift.
