England should send Ben Stokes back home to keep him ready for the India Test series: Steve Harmison | Cricket-world-cup News
Former England pacer Steve Harmison believes that with the men’s national team’s chances for a semifinal spot at the 2023 ODI World Cup all but gone, Ben Stokes should return back to England rather than featuring in the squad for the final two games against the Netherlands and Pakan.
“I am amazed Ben is still in the country, I don’t see any point in him being there,” Harmison told PA. “I’m sure that conversation has been had but it needs strong leadership. It needs someone to say, ‘Ben, you’re going home. Here’s a ticket, there’s the plane, get on it’. I think Rob Key, as director of cricket, should probably take that decision and if I was (Test coach) Brendon McCullum I’d be doing everything I could to encourage him.”
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Stokes, who scored a half century against Australia in England’s previous game at the World Cup, was unable to guide the team to their second win at the tournament as Australia emerged victorious against their arch rivals in Ahmedabad last Saturday.Most Read
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The all-rounder, who reversed an year old decision to retire from the ODIs to be at the ongoing tournament, is due to have a surgery post tournament in the hopes to recover from a long term issue in his left knee.
“You never know what they are going to find with a big op, or what the rehab looks like,” said Harmison. “So give yourself the extra time because it could be the difference between being fully fit for the first Test or the third. The single most important person in that Test set-up is Ben Stokes. They need their leader and that’s why he has to go home.”
England are scheduled to play five Tests against India early next year as part of the 2023/25 World Test Championship cycle. “This tour is going to be twice as hard as the Ashes given the conditions, so he’s going to be more important than ever,” Harmison added.
