England legends Steve Harmison and Michael Vaughan believe Ben Stokes should pull out of the Indian Premier League to ensure he is fully fit for this summer's Ashes.
Stokes has been dealing with a chronic left knee problem ever since he took over as England captain and the injury deteriorated during the recent tour of New Zealand. He bowled just two overs in the second Test and showed visible signs of discomfort both in the field and while batting the final innings.
Stokes is now due to play for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, having been bought for a whopping £1.63m in the auction, but Harmison believes he should "forget any other cricket" and focus solely on the Ashes. "This guy has got a really high pain threshold," Harmison told talkSPORT.
"Too high, that is probably the problem. But this [knee injury] is restricting his movement, big time. We've been watching it and seeing the demise of it this innings and this was the first time that he's [shown] the rest of the general public.
"I think there's some brave decisions to be made because Ben Stokes is so important, so crucial, to England's chances of winning the Ashes. And I thought he might have gone to the IPL, played the Ashes and then fixed his knee. [But] looking at this, I think that's impossible now.
"I think a big conversation between the medical team, Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, is how do we get you fit for June? Forget any other cricket, because that is the most important thing at this minute in time."
Vaughan, who led England to victory in the 2005 Ashes, echoed Harmison's comments in a column for the Telegraph and urged Managing Director of England Men's cricket Rob Key to talk Stokes out of going to the IPL. "The Indian Premier League will be there next year and the year after and the year after," Vaughan said.
"I would be saying to him, come on, let's get that knee sorted. Let's make sure it's right. He will do whatever is best for the team and if that means he misses the IPL and he has to rest that knee, I think he'll do that.
"But if he goes to the IPL I don't think anyone should say oh, you know he's going purely for the money. He'll be going because he knows his body's ready and able enough to be able to cope with the IPL and the Ashes.
"In a funny way it's Rob Key's first real difficult call. If I'm Key, I'm going for dinner with Stokes and just saying 'we need you for the Ashes'. We've got to make sure that you are there for the whole five Test matches. Now's the time to make sure that we make the right call for that."
However, Stokes was adamant in the aftermath of the defeat in Wellington that he was "definitely" going to play in the IPL and England coach Brendon McCullum is confident he is not "jeopardising" his involvement in the Ashes by going to the IPL.
"I've got a tee-time with Flem [Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming], so I'll be talking to him and making sure he looks after the skipper," McCullum said. "He sees the big picture, so I've no concerns that Ben will be totally looked after.
"I also believe that the Ashes is the script that the skipper is waiting to write, so he'll be sweet. I don't have any concerns. I don't think he’s jeopardising it.
"I know that Chennai set-up, I played for that franchise and it is excellent in looking after the players. They've got a very good medical team. The skipper has a strong mind and he knows how to get right for the big moments. His life is that, right?
"In fact, I look forward to watching him play in it without the captaincy and having the opportunity to play cricket without worrying about everybody else. When he comes back into the fold and leads us into the Ashes campaign he'll have the bit between his teeth and I think we'll be all right."
