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Stokes' form under scrutiny after low Lord's scores
England captain Ben Stokes failed to make an impact with the bat during the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's, scoring just 12 and 0, but head coach Brendon McCullum remains confident the all-rounder will soon return to form.
Captaincy pressures and batting woes
Stokes, who turned 35 during the Lord's Test, has faced challenges balancing his role as England's captain with his performance as an all-rounder. His batting average as skipper stands at 32, lower than his average of nearly 36 when not leading the team. However, his bowling has improved in the captaincy role, with a wicket-taking average of 28 compared to nearly 33 previously.
During England's Ashes series defeat, Stokes' batting became increasingly labored, reflected in his strike rate of 36.58-the slowest in any series where he has played more than two Tests. The move down the batting order to number seven for the New Zealand series was partly to alleviate some of the pressure on his shoulders.
McCullum optimistic about Stokes' future performances
Despite the recent struggles, McCullum believes Stokes is close to regaining his fluency at the crease. "I feel like his fluency is starting to come back," McCullum said. "It would have been great if he had been able to get instant gratification with runs in this match. It didn't happen, but I'm pretty confident we'll see some runs and output in the Tests to come."
McCullum also noted that Stokes' approach to leadership and his ability to take on advice make him a strong captain. "Stokesy has conviction in what he believes. He's very rational. He only trusts a certain amount of people, which is no bad thing in life. If you're able to make valid points, then he is very rational in being able to take those on board."
Limited match practice poses challenge
One of the key issues affecting Stokes' rhythm is his lack of cricket outside of playing for England. He has not participated in any white-ball cricket since the 2024 season of The Hundred and played only two County Championship matches for Durham in May-his first in two years due to a delayed start caused by a broken cheek.
Durham head coach Ryan Campbell suggested Stokes could feature in the One-Day Cup, which runs alongside The Hundred, to gain more match practice. However, with no County Championship fixtures scheduled before England's three-Test series against Pakistan in August, opportunities for Stokes to refine his form remain limited.
Role at number seven offers flexibility
McCullum highlighted the advantages of Stokes batting at number seven, a position that allows him to guide the tail and utilize his experience and power when needed. "With his experience and cricketing nous, he's able to operate and guide the tail quite nicely, plus he's got the raw power if need be to score if you're eight or nine wickets down," McCullum explained.
Stokes, who has led England in 43 Tests, could potentially captain in another 17 Tests over the next 18 months if he remains fit, bringing him close to Joe Root's record of 64 Tests as England skipper.
Looking ahead
After the conclusion of the three-Test series against New Zealand, some of England's Test players will join the white-ball squad for the series against India, followed by The Hundred. However, Stokes is not part of England's white-ball plans and does not have a team in The Hundred, further limiting his playing opportunities.
"We just won our first Test match of the summer, so that's where I'm going to concentrate at the moment," Stokes told Test Match Special when asked about his batting.
