T20 World Cup 2022 is just a few days away and teams are in their final stage of preparations. England, among the top favourites to win the title, are also working hard to work on the few loopholes in their squad. While Alex Hales has taken up the opportunity with both hands in Jonny Bairstow’s absence, others are also getting to know about their role at the showpiece event.
Ben Stokes , who has not played too many T20Is this year, has also been included in England’s squad for the biennial event. However, Michael Atherton is not too convinced about Stokes’ place in the playing XI as he finds the all-rounder to be a misfit. Atherton has cited Stokes’ lesser game time as the reason behind his verdict. However, he also said that Stokes is a big-match player and that can go in his favour.
"You could have both Curran and Jordan in the playing XI. Stokes is a shoo-in to this team, but has not played much T20 for quite some time. On the plus side you think that it's a big tournament and he is a big game player, Atherton said in an interaction with Sky Sports. "But if you look at this format, the truth is that he has just not played that much. So, maybe Malan at No.3, Brook at No.4 and then you can fit in Curran and Jordan," he further added.
Notably, Ben Stokes gave up on the ODI format to prolong his career in T20Is and Test cricket. The all-rounder currently captains the Three Lions in the longest format of the game and has started his captaincy stint on a high. However, the 31-year-old has not played too many T20Is for England due to injuries, Test commitments, and mental health.
Meanwhile, England who reached the semifinals in the last edition of the tournament are currently playing Australia in a three-match T20I series. The Jos Buttler-led team will open their campaign at the T20 World Cup with a match against Afghanistan on 22 October.
