'A lion leading lambs' - Stokes needs England team-mates to step up

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is honest about the toll the Ashes tour has taken on him.

"No doubt it's been tough," said the England captain. "When you put on the pressure of trying to perform for your country in a huge series plus all of the other stuff that comes with a tour of Australia, it's been a tough one."

Stokes knows about hard times in Australia. England were destroyed by Mitchell Johnson in 2013-14 and stifled by Covid restrictions four years ago. The all-rounder did not make it in 2017-18 because of the Bristol incident he feared would cost him his career.

This time was supposed to be different. England's big chance in the most-anticipated Ashes for a generation.

Instead, Stokes has carried a visible load of his team's slide to a 3-1 deficit heading into the finale in Sydney.

There were howls to the heavens when he was dismissed in both Brisbane and Adelaide. He did not bowl on day three of the third Test, the same day he spent time off the field after a bang to the head. Stokes delivered an emotional news conference on Christmas Eve in Melbourne in the aftermath of the Ben Duckett Noosa video.

At least when he takes his team out at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday), Stokes will know he has managed to keep the wheels on - just.

There will be no emergency debut - Mason Crane, Scott Borthwick, Boyd Rankin, or Sam Billings driving across Australia.

But Stokes will lead an XI that is almost unrecognisable from the last Test of the previous Ashes series in 2023. England will have five survivors. If Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had been fit, Australia could have had as many as nine.

There was a thought before this series that it could be decided by which skipper urges his body through the most time on the field.

Cummins has played just one game and has won. Stokes will complete a Test series for the first time in two years and still be beaten.

Australia have a ready-made captaincy deputy in Steve Smith and probably could pass the armband to Travis Head and Alex Carey if required. Billed as ageing and over the hill, the Australians have proved themselves to be full of battle-hardened grown-ups.

Since the last Ashes, England have lost, dropped or moved on from Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach. Taken in isolation, the individual selection decisions were valid and necessary, but have left England lacking leaders.

Too often on this tour, there has been a feeling that Stokes is a lion leading lambs.

Duckett, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson have wilted under the brightest lights, Mark Wood's injury left the pace attack without a senior seamer and Harry Brook is a vice-captain in need of maturity.

On Friday, Zak Crawley, whose 63 Tests will make him England's third-most capped player in Sydney, was asked about being a senior player.

"I never see myself like that to be honest," said the opener. "I don't think anyone in the team truly does."

It is a problem partly of Stokes' making. He and coach Brendon McCullum are two alphas in the England dressing room, possibly leaving little room for the growth of other characters. They have backed players who have been found wanting in the biggest series.

Stokes has also had a mixed tour as skipper, lacking his trademark tactical verve. There have been conflicting messages in the media. "Has-beens" pre-series was clumsy, followed by the "weak men" comment in the aftermath of defeat in the second Test. It jarred when he asked for empathy in Melbourne.

Stokes is unequivocal about his desire to stay as captain. He is arguably the most powerful man in English cricket. Coaches, suits and administrators come and go - there is only one Ben Stokes.

When Stokes throws his support behind McCullum remaining as coach, his voice should be heard, albeit with the caveat that Stokes no longer has McCullum's undivided attention.

"We'll put our heads together," said Stokes about coach and captain plotting the future of the Test team, yet that could be delayed by McCullum leading England to the T20 World Cup next month.

Is it a coincidence England have lost half of their Tests since McCullum took charge of the white-ball teams?

The Bazball era began as a riotous post-Ashes rebuild - run chases, bucket hats and nighthawks. The scale of the next regeneration will be influenced by what happens in Sydney - there is a considerable difference between 4-1 and 3-2.