Ben Stokes is ready to double down on his team’s new-age approach to Test cricket — and that aggressive attitude was reflected in the team selection for tomorrow’s Second Test against Pakistan.
A shortened match is expected here in Multan, central Punjab, with 10 overs likely to be lost at the end of the day due to Pakistan’s rapidly setting sun, while time could also be lost in the morning due to smog.
“No,” was Stokes’s blunt response when asked whether the pollution in Multan was a concern for England. Current public health advice here is that outdoor activities should be avoided.
“It’s just another thing we are going to have to deal with,” said Stokes. “It doesn’t seem like it was any more draining because of how muggy it was, it was just a little bit sweatier, so I might have to bring a few more pairs of whites to the game.”
The threat of a shortened match, however, did impact selection, as England made one change from the side that played last week, with fast bowler Mark Wood replacing the injured Liam Livingstone.
That meant that wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who missed the last Test through illness, went unselected, with part-time wicketkeeper Ollie Pope keeping the gloves. England decided that with it likely there will be less time available to take 20 wickets, as many options with the ball was the best plan to take.
“The communication to Ben was that the real positive for him to take out of this selection is that it’s just for this Test match,” explained Stokes of the call. “Foakesy still is the No1 gloveman in England and, I’ll still keep saying it, he’s the best keeper in the world.
“It must sound a bit silly to not be picking him, but you’ve got to look at the conditions we face out here. Pakistan is a very hard place to come and bowl, and adding Mark Wood into the side gives us the best opportunity to take 20 wickets.”
Stokes heaped praise on Pope’s performance last week, after the occasional gloveman backed up a first-innings ton with more than 250 overs behind the sticks.
Pope is still expected to bat at No3 even if England field first, but Stokes noted that there was a chance, “albeit very unlikely”, that Ben Duckett could take the gloves if “circumstances mean Popey is a bit tired”.
Wood had missed the First Test with a hip complaint, but Stokes confirmed that the quick is back to full fitness, with his inclusion a real positive for England.
In the First Test, England sprung a surprise as they opted to bowl bouncers with the new ball, a plan they are likely to pursue with again and one which Wood will be a vital part in.
“Having someone in your squad who can bowl 150kmh is a massive bonus for any team around the world, especially out here,” said Stokes.
“Having someone of his calibre and what he brings, the way in which he bowls, is going to be massive for us. It’s a bit of a different story to having three low 80mph bowlers compared to Mark Wood bowling.”
Similarly, there was no suggestion from Stokes that England will play conservative cricket and look to carry their one-nil lead to the final Test, with all eyes on doubling their advantage by whatever means possible.
“There’s obviously going to be some point along this road where it’s virtually impossible to get a result. But if you get a good amount of time out of a Test match, I’ll always be trying to plan, and talk to Baz [coach Brendon McCullum] about ways in which we can try and force a result, either way,” he said.
“You might see, especially in England with the weather that’s around, you might see something even more out there, even more than you’ve seen here. I might declare without batting one day, who knows?
“So we’ll go out and have the same game-plan, same mindset over the next five days and, hopefully, everything we do can contribute to us leaving here 2-0 up.”
