Ben Stokes said he will continue to see a therapist to protect his mental health as he takes over as England Test captain. Stokes insisted his experiences over the past year, during which he took an extended break that kept him out of cricket for four months, have not only helped to make him a stronger and better leader but also more able to relate to the problems other players may experience.
“I’ve read what’s been said in the media about me taking a break and then taking this role on,” Stokes said. “There’s always a negative feeling around it, but I took my break, I spoke to a bunch of people and I will continue to do that. I see it as positive that I’m in this role having gone through what I went through last summer and even before that – I’ve got a huge amount of experience in what the game and what life can throw at you.
“I feel like I can relate to anything going forward. If any of the players might be struggling with something, I have been that person in the dressing room. And it’s not just younger players, but also senior players should feel like they can talk to me. I hope that doesn’t change now I’m captain.”
One of the experiences that has helped to mould him was his arrest for affray in 2017, a charge of which he was acquitted 11 months later. “Back then, I’d never have pictured being England captain,” he said. “I’ve always tried to see every experience, be it good or bad, as something to learn from. There’s been plenty of experiences that I could have let chew me up, swallow me up and that’s me done, but I never let that happen. I guess I’m too stubborn to let anything get too on top of me.”
In addition to dealing with Joe Root’s resignation as the captain, the Test side are now working under the England & Wales Cricket Board’s new director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, and will soon discover the identity of a new head coach. But Stokes indicated that the turbulence will not extend to selection – for a start, he will be leaning on the team’s other experienced players for on-field assistance.
“I’ve got great senior players around me. It would be stupid and naive of me not to include them in decisions out on the field,” he said. “I’ve always gone with my gut, it’s served me quite well and I’ll continue to do that going forward, but I will be making sure that other players feel they’re valued. I feel that’s a key part of being a leader. I don’t want it to be: ‘Ben’s in charge now, he’s the only one making decisions.’”
In his first press conference as captain, the 30-year-old confirmed that Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are likely to return after being rested for the recent series defeat in West Indies, insisting the pair “should always be considered for selection because they are the two best bowlers England have, two of the greats of the game in my opinion”.
He will also move himself back down the batting order to No 6, having come in mainly at five since the 2019 Ashes, believing it will make him more able to shine with both bat and ball. “I know that I am at my best for England when I’m doing both [batting and bowling] as much as the other,” he said. “I personally feel that going back to six is going to allow me to concentrate on those roles as much as the other, rather than worrying about one while I’m doing the other one. I feel that’s best for the team.”
But the most significant change Stokes could make would be to the spirit of a team that go into the 2022 summer, which will feature three-Test series against New Zealand and South Africa as well as a single game against India, with morale shredded by a run of one win in 17 matches. “When performances aren’t going your way as a team or as an individual you carry a lot of baggage into the next games,” he said.
“It’s an easy thing to say but hopefully I can get the message across that this is almost a clean slate. A great way to put it is that we have not played a game yet. All your previous performances, good or bad, we’re starting fresh. We are picking you because we feel you are one of the best players in England – everything that has happened before, don’t worry about it, we are starting fresh here.”
• In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, Mental Health America is available on 800-273-8255. In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978
