Captain Joe Root says the way Ben Stokes tactics the game on and off the field is now a inspiration to get the England team.
Stokes‘ unbeaten century led tickets to its first four weeks of the highly-anticipated fourth Test at Old Trafford are already sold out and England to a triumph in Headingley to level the Ashes series.
If it move down to the cable, he’s no doubt his vice-captain may haul through the side again or help motivate others to do so although root is hoping to get a victory for England.
„One thing that you know about Ben is that when the big events come around, he is going to be there,“ Root said.
„He will want to be a part of it, he is never going to shy away from any type of challenge, and he’s proven that this particular summer.
„For him, I believe he has only got to keep working and doing precisely what he’s doing – he’s flying right now! He wants to harness bottle this up and take advantage of it while he’s in this form that is fantastic.
„He is a great team man, he’s one of these men who will go out of the way to assist everyone and make sure they feel as though they are prepared. He offer guidance, he is a senior participant and pioneer. He reveals on the area.
„He has a good balance of knowing when to say the right things. He is very passionate and he welcomes people together along with him. He’s just a bloke.
„If you combine that with the skill and ability that he has and it is a great combination and a fantastic inspiration for not just the young men coming to this team but also the senior players as well.“
Root confirmed Craig Overton will substitute Chris Woakes in the England XI while Joe Denly will move up to open with Jason Roy because the hosts intention to capitalise on the goodwill and momentum brought about by their win at Headingley, falling down to # 4.
„When you come off a win like this it’s a major lift for the whole group,“ he said.
„For this match to unravel like it did and also for us to turn up here full of confidence and very much living in this string is… I believed the way we played the week before at Lord’s it began to feel as though we were wrestling our way back into the show and we did a lot of good stuff out there.
„It felt like last week we made a great deal of mistakes and did not really get it right but through some individual brilliance and some elegance in our batting in the second innings and high quality bowling, bar the odd spell here or there, we still managed to win.
„In a sense, if we could bring those two performances collectively we feel as if we will be in a great place in the conclusion of the week as well.“
Watch day one of the fourth Test between Australia and England at Old Trafford from 10am, on Sky Sports Wednesday The Ashes.
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