England's Strategy Without Ben Stokes

For the past 18 months, England has adjusted to life without Ben Stokes as an all-rounder. However, after briefly regaining his full talents for one series, England now faces a new challenge: how to perform without him entirely.

Recent history provides some guidance on how England might approach this situation. Since the summer of 2018, England has won 11 out of 12 Tests when they opted for five frontline bowlers in addition to Stokes, who in these instances was primarily selected for his batting. While this success rate may seem unusual, it highlights the effectiveness of this strategy.

During the first two Tests of last year's Ashes series, England employed a four-man bowling attack, with Stokes providing occasional support when his fitness allowed. This approach left them trailing 2-0. However, after Ollie Pope's injury, England shifted their strategy, selecting a five-man bowling attack for the remaining three Tests. This change in balance led to two victories, and they were on the verge of a third win at Old Trafford before rain intervened.

With a five-man bowling unit, England was able to get the best out of both Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, who didn’t face the risk of being overworked. Additionally, this approach offered crucial backup, as demonstrated at Headingley, where Ollie Robinson was unable to bowl in the second innings, and at the Oval, where Moeen Ali was sidelined from bowling in the first innings.

Now, without Stokes, England must decide whether to field seven frontline batsmen or stick with five bowlers. Although the prospect of giving the energetic Jordan Cox his Test debut is tempting, England would be better off maintaining their successful five-bowler strategy.