England won't have any doubts about choosing Ben Stokes for one month from now's first Test against India, despite the fact that the match could complete just one day before the all-rounder's trial for affray starts.
Stokes was charged by prosecutors back in January following an incident outside a Bristol dance club in September following a year ago. He has since argued not guilty to the charge, with his trial set to begin on August 6th, the day after the planned 1st to 5th August first Test at Birmingham's Edgbaston ground is going to end.
Given the trial is relied upon to last between five to seven days, Stokes, a dynamic middle-order batsman and energetic seamer who is likewise one of the England's best fielders, could well absent of the second Test of a five-matches Test series that schedule to start at Lord's on August 9th.
But Joe Root, England's Test captain, hadn't any doubt about Stokes being in the correct mood to play at Edgbaston in spite of an approaching the court appearance.
“We will pick our best team and ensure we go into that series with the most strongest squad,” Root said.
“If Ben's fit to play, he'll be up for selection. He loves to play cricket, he also loves being out there - you can see when he iss on the field, he is fully engaged with what is going on."
“He needs the ball constantly. He wants to be involved in what's happening and I'm sure that will be exactly the same throughout that game.”
Root was talking after both he and Stokes played in the England side that beat India by eight wickets in the third One Day International at Headingley on Tuesday to seal the series a 2-1 win.
Star batsman Root scored precisely 100 not out on his Yorkshire home ground, his second progressive century after his unbeaten 113 during the England's 86-run series leveling win at the Lord's.
His latest century saw Root become England's outright most prolific century-maker in ODI cricket, with 13 centuries from just 110 innings at this level, outperforming by one the record he had imparted beforehand to Marcus Trescothick.
Root, however, was a long way from fulfilled, saying: "It is nothing but a major thing, I don't think."
"It's clearly pleasant but I feel I have significantly more to give this ODI team for ideally quite a while," he included.
“Hopefully, there's quite a few more (hundreds) left.”
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