The captain struggled badly with a long-standing knee drawback in the course of the Test tour to New Zealand earlier this 12 months, bowling solely two overs within the one-run defeat in Wellington , England ’s most up-to-date red-ball outing.
Stokes has spent a lot of the intervening interval on the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, however his bowling there was restricted by a toe drawback and he ultimately discovered himself unable to interrupt into the crew after being thought-about solely as a specialist batter.
The 31-year-old’s bowling is vital to England’s means to steadiness their facet and having named solely three seamers – Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad and debutant Josh Tongue – of their XI to face Ireland, whether or not or not Stokes brings himself into the assault this week would be the topic of a lot intrigue.
“The knee is in a much better place than it was in Wellington,” Stokes mentioned. “I’ve been in India for the IPL over the last nine to 10 weeks but what I have done is get myself into a position where I am not able to look back and regret or say I have not given myself the best opportunity to play a full role with the ball this summer.
“I have worked incredibly hard with the medical team in Chennai, who were liasing with the ECB guys and got myself into a place where I feel like I am back at my 2019-2020 space in terms of my own body and fitness.
“I have definitely given myself the best opportunity, but the mind and body are different things. But yeah, I have given myself the best chance.”
Pressed on whether or not he’ll bowl in opposition to Ireland, Stokes repeated: “I’ve given myself the best chance.”
He did affirm, nonetheless, that he’s “absolutely” pondering of himself as an all-rounder and that his intention is to play all six of England’s Tests this summer time, including: “Unless I can’t walk, I’ll be on the field.”
England have, in the meantime, handed Tongue a surprise debut against Ireland , the Worcestershire seamer who was solely referred to as up final week as harm cowl given the nod forward of Chris Woakes, who had appeared in line to play his first Test of the Bazball period.
Tongue has solely a modest document within the County Championship this season however has been on England’s radar for a while after impressing on tour with the Lions this winter.
Stokes and Brendon McCullum have been taken with the 25-year-old’s additional tempo in nets this week, with Mark Wood presently England’s solely real fast following accidents to Jofra Archer, Olly Stone and the uncapped Brydon Carse, who had been touted for a call-up.
This is an opportunity to present Josh a chance, not solely to indicate what he can do however to see what his character’s like and the way he can affect a sport.
“He is someone who possesses a bit more pace than most of the guys who have been spoken about as the next in line,” Stokes explained.
“Having someone who is able to bowl with that extra pace so he can come on and change the way the game is going and have that X-factor, is always great to have in your side.”
The decision to leave Woakes out looked a major blow for the Warwickshire seamer, who yesterday carried out media duties previewing the game before finding out he would not feature.
The 34-year-old has not played Test cricket since last year’s tour of the West Indies, missing the entire home summer after undergoing knee surgery. In explaining his thinking over Tongue’s debut, however, Stokes offered hope that Woakes could yet have a part to play in the Ashes.
“The approach we checked out is is that everybody is aware of what Chris Woakes brings to a crew along with his all-round talents, with ball and with bat,” Stokes added. “But we see this as a chance to give Josh Tongue an opportunity, not only for him to show what he can do but also to see what his character’s like and see how he can influence a game in the role that I think he would play if he were to play a few more games this summer.
“I think it was just a great opportunity and something we couldn’t look past. Woakesy understood that and all bowlers who are in the group this summer have been told to prepare like you’re going to be playing every game.”
