Ben Stokes' strength instills fear in opposition bowlers, but he has the technique to excel at the highest level. Photo: Action Images vis Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Joe Ruth was the obvious choice. Only the obvious choice does not quite suit England. As Moin Ali failed to hit three balls in England's second inning, Harry Brook and Chris Woakes were considered as alternatives. When the first England players met on the third morning at the Oval, Mark Wood even caught a glimpse with the pads on.
Instead, Ben Stokes, for only the second time in his Test career, came out at No. 3. .
It was an idea he rebutted before the fourth Test, stating: “My best place on this team is sixth.” . From here, Stokes scored a blazing 155 defeats against Lord; at Headingley, his brutal 80 lifted England from the wreckage of 142 to seven and ultimately completely changed the feel of the series.
All of these performances made Stokes' three-year-old appearance at The Oval a bit curious. However, the strength that opponents always fear from Stokes should not obscure his adaptability. Stokes has won two World Cup Finals by breaking a tight wicket and then speeding up. His standout test opportunities – Headingley in 2019 and Ash's those two opportunities this summer – were both marked by stickiness before sass. For all his belligerence, Stokes has a solid defense: despite his pace, he is only sacked every 95 balls he defends, the best result of any current batsman in England.
On the third day, standing ovations followed Stokes to the very end: a reflection of both his popularity and perhaps excitement about what his promotion to three might bring. While Josh Hazlewood's top-notch six, underestimated by Mitchell Stark, and the hard cut four hinted at Stokes' brutality, the most striking aspect of his promotion was how easily he fell into the role. Stokes didn't look like a locum tenens; just a high-quality, top-notch batsman who accumulates quickly, avoiding risk.
In the context of the match, it was an important 42 run. However, their greater significance may lie in the opportunities they open up for England.
Stokes' contributions to this series reflected the evolution of his role. For now, at least, his left knee has turned him into a batsman who occasionally bowls. Since being named captain the previous year, he had taken just 23 wickets in 18 Tests; that number drops to five in his last 11. If he's going to play as a batsman, Stokes could do it at number 3.
There is no doubt that Stokes has the technique to hit three balls. Photo: Getty Images/Gareth Copley
The three-batting captain, who can sometimes hold back in pursuit of a run, also allows England to keep their perseverance with an approach that has seen extraordinary success in recent years. This is the 12th Test since 2018 in which England have selected five specialist bowlers in addition to Stokes. They have won 10 and only drawn once, in the previous test at Old Trafford. The structure suits England well because it gives room for versatile talent – Moin Ali and Chris Wakes in the current team – gives Mark Wood time to break between periods and has injury insurance built in: after Moen's injury, England are grateful for an extra bowler like this was after Ollie Robinson at Headingley.
England could be grateful to India for similar flexibility in the new year. Stokes at three – which would mean Ollie Pope would either move out or be expelled when he was back in shape – would allow Johnny Bairstow to hit at six and then keep the five bowler specialists below. Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed and Liam Dawson are all players who can be placed at seven or eight.
England used seven No. 3s in the era of baseball
During the Stokes reign, seven players have won three, including four in this series of Ashes. However, the player who was best prepared to bat at age three failed to do the job at all. In 31 innings under Stokes, Ruth hit four balls 30 times, and on one occasion the night watchman reduced his number to five.
Sometimes Ruth can be a little vulnerable against a new orb. Later, batting also uses his great qualities against spin more – he averages 64 against spin compared to 46 against speed. And just as India did with Sachin Tendulkar, who never hit a top three in his 200 Test matches, England belatedly came to the idea that a four-year-old Root is a permanent feature of a batting squad. England will no longer sacrifice the performance of their best batsman for the benefit of others.
Joe Root wants to hit at four and finally England. Credit: Getty Images/Gareth Copley
Despite all the casual talk of Ruth's troubles adapting to baseball, he averages 58.7 points under Stokes, significantly more than under any other captain. While the demands to score at a faster pace allowed him to showcase his ramps – again evident at the Oval – it was Root's dexterity in finding gaps and passing between wickets that allowed him to adapt. Basically, he's free to bat like he does in one-day middle overs: a role he's mastered so much that England internally calls No. 3 in the 50-over game “Joe Root's role”.
After years of shuffling to hide the limitations of his teammates, and the England captain under the grim harsh protocols of Covid-19, Ruth may find the decision long overdue. Now he's free to be the best Test batsman he can be.
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While he plodded along, a likely century was denied due to poor out-of-bounds ball performance. in the second consecutive test, Ruth increased his score to 11,416 test runs. Keep scoring at the same rate as under Stokes and Root will need another 54 tests – five years of test cricket – to overhaul Tendulkar. After all that he has done for English cricket, there are few popular attractions left.
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