Ben Stokes' latest injury concern has raised questions about whether he should take on the role of a specialist batsman, but Sky Sports' Ian Ward believes that would take away from him as a cricketer.
The 33-year-old England captain suffered a left hamstring injury while bowling on the third day of the final Test against New Zealand and left the field.
Stokes will now undergo “further assessment” as to whether he will return to bat in England's second innings in Hamilton, with the tourists 18-2 at stumps, needing a mammoth 640 to win.
“There are two problems with that (Stokes is a specialist batsman). One is that England need to balance the side and the second problem, more so, is that Stokes will want to play his part as a batsman. complete,” Ward. told Sky Sports News.
“That's what makes these tours so good, they want to be involved in every aspect of the game.
“At the moment Stokes is batting, bowling, influential in the field and the captain. If you look at John Botham, he would have got into the side as a batsman or a bowler, but if he could to do just one, it would have taken away from his general aura and I think that's the same with Stokes.
England captain Stokes made 27 in the first innings of the third and final Test in Hamilton
“There is no question about Stokes as a batsman or his ability to play at number three, but that takes so much away from the 'Ben Stokes of cricket', so I don't think that will be a ' entered his mind.
“Again, we don't know the extent of the injury but I know he will put his heart and soul into being fully fit because he will want to play that role as a true distributor.”
Stokes was sidelined for several weeks with a badly torn left hamstring earlier this year, missing four Tests after picking up the injury in The Hundred.
He has scored 66.3 goals in the away series against the Black Caps – his most in a single series as captain.
“It's a big concern. It looks like England are going to lose this test match a lot, we don't know the extent of the injury,” said Ward.
Stokes celebrates the wicket of Will O'Rourke of New Zealand in Hamilton
“When Stokes made it in The Hundred in August, he had to be helped off the field. This time, he got away without help.
“You could see Brendon McCullum (England head coach) was a bit concerned at the back, so it ended a terrible day for England.
“It was a fantastic day for New Zealand, I think we saw a bit more of what they are capable of, they were very different in that first game in Christchurch, letting go of every hold that gave England some momentum. .
“England blew them away in the second game but it looks like they're going to get a taste of their own medicine in this final game in Hamilton.
“Stokes will put in the hard yards to get fit, he's a smart lad and he'll want to continue his role as a real all-rounder and he's got time, because the next Test match isn't until five months away (against Zimbabwe in 2025).
Crawley's troubled journey continues
Zak Crawley was dismissed for just 21 in England's first innings on the second day of the third Test against New Zealand and made just five the second time around.
England opener Zak Crawley (5) was dismissed for the sixth time by Matt Henry (1-14) in this series late on the third day.
During the second over of England's last innings, Crawley had reviewed for him, also on Henry, but he was taken out at fifth on review and went wild from the range.
“The only upside to Crawley is that it's not a five-match Test series,” Ward said.
“Nothing Crawley has tried to do to fight Henry has worked.
“He will have support in the dressing room from his teammates and his management but he will know deep down that he is not contributing to the team and that can be a very lonely place.
“He'll be desperate to get on the plane, get back home and away from Henry. It's a very difficult journey and mentally very difficult to deal with.”
England's test tour of New Zealand
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