ENG vs IND 2018: Ben Stokes' return keep England selectors thinking ahead of third T20I

Ben Stokes has returned to the national T20I squad in Cardiff.

Ben Stokes (L) and Alex Hales (R) | Source Getty

England all-rounder, Ben Stokes' return to England's T20I squad gives a problem to the selectors ahead of the third match against India at County Ground, Bristol. Ben Stokes who has been declared fit for the upcoming T20I match will create difficulties for England selectors to pick a squad including him for the final T20I. England levelled the series by winning the second T20I in Cardiff, wherein all their players performed their defined role perfectly. 

England's ODI skipper, Eoin Morgan has refused to guarantee Ben Stokes a place in the playing XI against India in the last T20I as the all-rounder has comeback from an injury and moreover the team is playing with the perfect combination.

Ben Stokes in his comeback match for Durham, struck 68-balls 90, joining his national T20 squad in Cardiff. Alex Hales earlier had suggested that his place in the T20I squad may be in danger once Ben Stokes joins back but now he has given the team selectors a good reason to stay in the playing XI.

“He comes into the squad for the next game and he is a fantastic player and it will be a difficult decision to make,” Morgan told reporters after the Cardiff win.

“We have made calls like this in the past and we will make the call for the benefit of the team and put out our strongest XI.

“Alex always makes it difficult particularly in T20 cricket. He has played a lot of T20 for us and he is a very experienced campaigner. An innings like that gives him a pretty strong case for the next game.

“He really did play brilliantly. He has played a lot international T20 cricket and he has played a lot around the world. It was a mature inning.

“But we played better than we did at Old Trafford and the plans we had we committed to more. There was a lot more clarity in the shots that we played.” Morgan concluded.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times)
 

 
 

By Kunal Kataria - 07 Jul, 2018

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