‘I think some consultation might be quite nice’ – Ben Stokes expresses concerns on England’s busy international schedule

Ben Stokes Press Conference. (Photo Source : Gettyimages)

England’s talismanic Test captain, Ben Stokes, expressed his concerns about the team’s busy schedule in the coming months, especially with the popularity of franchise cricket increasing each day.

The Three Lions are set to play the final Test of the three-match series against the West Indies, starting on Friday, July 26. After this assignment, England host Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series, beginning on August 21. The day after the third Test is scheduled to finish in September, England lock horns with arch-rivals Australia in a T20I series. That is followed by an ODI series against the same opponents that finishes just eight days before the start of a three-Test series in Pakistan. Three days after that tour finishes, Jos Buttler and Co. begin an ODI series in Antigua, which ends in St Lucia eight days prior to the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

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Come 2025, England will get some respite, as there are no overseas Tests in the first half of the year, but they will play five white-ball matches in India in preparation for the Champions Trophy in February. The home season then plays host to four visiting teams, with an ODI series in Ireland running parallel to the India Test series. England are blessed enough to have a wide pool of talented players. However, all-format players such as Harry Brook, Mark Wood, and even Jofra Archer, who is set to return to the Test arena in 2025, will have their tasks cut out, as they look to ply their trades in franchise cricket along the way.

Stokes urged the ICC, FTP (Future Tours Programme), and the ECB to work in tandem and discuss with players before the scheduling of international tours.

“I hope not,” answered Stokes when asked if his ambitions with the Test team will be hampered by the schedule. “It is something that does need to be addressed. Who knows what international cricket is going to look like, with all the franchise stuff that is going on as well? It does need to get looked at. The landscape is constantly changing. I don’t think anyone can put their hand on their heart and say they know what cricket is going to look like in even two years’ time,” the England captain was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think some consultation might be quite nice, obviously to Jos (Buttler) and myself. The FTP could maybe see the people playing in it consulted, and I think we could have some good input in that,” he added.

Asked whether he had been consulted on the recent FTP running from 2023-27, Stokes was tight-lipped: “Yes and no. Make of that what you will.”

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England have already bagged the three-match series against the West Indies by virtue of winning the first two games. They will want to complete a whitewash against the Caribbean side by winning the Third Test in Birmingham.