Test captain of the England National Cricket Team Ben Stokes It has signed a new central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). According to ESPNCricinfo, the all-rounder is understood to have signed a contract until the 2025-26 Ashes tour.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has not released a new list of central contracts as most players are already locked into multi-year deals. Ben Stokes did not sign any contract in the hope of increasing his value. But his new deal runs until September 2026 and will see him on next year’s Ashes tour.
Stokes signing a new deal with the ECB comes as a huge boost to the all-round demand and value in T20 leagues. The England National Cricket Team knows what an all-rounder brings to the table as both a player and a leader, especially when it comes to turning around the Test team.
So the fact that the ECB offered him a lucrative offer despite his injury-proneness shows the team’s desperation to have him. The versatile player has a huge injury history but still gives his all for the team. The Test captain, however, refused to specify the length of his new contract on Saturday, but it is expected to be two months.
Ben Stokes will miss the first test against Pakistan
Stokes, who tore his knee while playing for the Hundred in August, will miss the first Test of the three-match Test. series against Pakistan National Cricket Team. The all-rounder is not yet fully fit for the match to be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Monday (October 7).
England announced the playing XI for the first Test Ollie Pope will lead the team. In the absence of Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes will play the game and he will be testing abroad for the national team for the first time in two and a half years.
Under the leadership of Ben Stokes, England National Cricket Whitewashed Pakistan National Cricket Team in the last round. Therefore, the pressure is on Ollie Pope as if he can match Stokes’ initiative in changing the tempo of the matches.
There is no doubt in my mind about the bowlers we have selected – Ben Stokes
On the eve of the first Test, Stokes expressed his confidence in the team’s bowlers and said that he has no doubts about the bowler they have chosen. He said it would be a great learning experience for the young bowlers to see how tough Test cricket can be. Giving a statement to journalists, he explained them as follows:
“There’s no doubt in my mind about the bowlers we’ve picked. We know they’ll be up for it. We know it’s going to be tough, but it’s going to be a big exposure for them for the first time… It’s going to show. It’s going to show them how much Test cricket can be difficult.”
Me and Brendon Ollie will encourage him to influence the game himself – Ben Stokes is sure Pope will do well
Ben Stokes later stated that in the last round he was trying to get a result and take the game forward. He said he along with coach Brendon McCullum will encourage Ollie Pope to manage the game and be successful as a skipper. He added:
“(In 2022) it was about trying to take the game forward given the conditions we faced. We were always trying to do something to force a result, even if it meant giving Pakistan a sniff to win the game… Me and Ollie put ourselves into the game. We will encourage him to make an impact and make sure that comes across in his captaincy.”
Stokes is likely to be available for the second Test in Rawalpindi.