During an interview with Nasser Hussain that was recorded during the IPL, England captain Ben Stokes suggested that a young Jonathan Trott or Alastair Cook might not make it into the current England team.
Stokes’ captaincy has been marked by record-breaking scoring rates, with the ongoing Lord’s Test being the latest example of their aggressive style of cricket. Under his leadership, all seven batsmen selected for the Ireland Test have scored at a rate of 74 or more runs per 100 balls, which is much higher than the norm in Test cricket. Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow, and Ben Duckett have all achieved strike rates above 95.
Prior to the English international summer, Hussain, who himself was a successful England captain, asked Stokes whether a young Cook or Trott, two more patient players, would have a place in the current England team.
Alastair Cook is England’s all-time leading run-scorer, with an average of 45.35 in his Test career. Although his Test strike-rate of 46.95 was not often discussed during his playing days. Jonathan Trott, widely considered as England’s leading No.3 in the 21st century, had an average of 44.08 with a strike-rate of 47.18. Both Cook and Trott were key members of the Andrew Strauss-led team that rose to the top of the ICC Test team rankings in the early 2010s.
During the interview, Nasser Hussain posed a question to the current England captain, asking if there was room for a player who wants to go about things differently, such as a young Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton, or Jonathan Trott, who prefer to bat in an old-fashioned way and grind out a big score.
Stokes did not confirm that there would be a place for a player like a young Cook in the current England team. He explained that some players have played a certain way throughout their careers, and that’s okay. However, as captain and with coach Baz, they are looking for players who can put pressure on the bowlers right away. He cited Harry Brook as an example of a player who has made a big impact, without even having to go all out. This is the type of player that will get noticed while he and Baz are in charge.
Stokes explained that in the future, with a different captain and coach, there may be an opportunity for the more patient style of play that Cook and Trott exemplified. But for now, the England team is looking for players who can make an immediate impact and play aggressively.
