Ashes 2023: Ben Stokes could opening the batting for England amid fresh fitness concerns

There are fresh fitness concerns over Ben Stokes, compounding England’s significant injury problems ahead of the Ashes – and potentially forcing a big line-up change.

England’s selectors have discussed the idea of Ben Stokes opening the batting in the Ashes amid fresh concerns over his fitness to bowl in this summer’s Test matches.

Stokes, the England Test captain, has bowled only one over in the IPL this season, in Chennai Super Kings’ opening match on March 31, and has not played at all since April 3.

Stephen Fleming, their head coach, said the all-rounder is still finding bowling “a bit of a challenge”.

He is set to return home from India next week before England’s first Test of the summer, against Ireland beginning on June 1, but may play as specialist batsman only in CSK’s final group match on Saturday.

Will Ben Stokes bowl in the Ashes? Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Stokes was sidelined for several weeks because of a toe injury picked up in training and, since returning to fitness last week, has not been selected.

He went into the IPL with worries over a long-standing knee injury that flared up during England’s Test series against New Zealand in February, at times leaving him in visible pain and limiting his contribution with the ball.

Stokes has said he is focused on being England’s fourth seamer in the six Tests this summer – the Ireland match and the five-match Ashes series – but Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, may need to look at a different way to balance the side if Stokes cannot bowl.

McCullum was already facing a struggle to get all of his best players in to the team – particularly with Jonny Bairstow returning to fitness only to find Harry Brook, England’s breakout star, in his No 5 spot. Stokes would usually come in at No 6 but the possibility has been raised of moving the captain to the top of the order to accommodate Bairstow and Brook.

Now the situation is further complicated by Stokes’s lack of bowling. If he is used as a specialist batsman and England still want to select four frontline seamers, then the batting order will be squeezed even more, increasing the need for a creative solution – such as the captain replacing Zak Crawley as an opener.

Harry Brook has taken over the No. 5 spot for Engand. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

England will announce the squad to face Ireland in their only warm-up match before the Ashes begins on June 16, on Tuesday morning. They are expected to name 15 players but are set to rest James Anderson, who suffered a groin injury at the start of Lancashire’s match against Somerset last week. The 40-year-old had a scan on Saturday night and, although it is not thought to be a serious injury, England will be cautious with his return.

The Durham seamer Matthew Potts, who was dropped by England at the end of last summer, is in line for a recall to the squad. The 24-year-old has had a strong start to the County Championship with Durham, taking 24 wickets at 22.50.

Chris Woakes is also in contention for a recall and could act as England’s all-rounder option. He has taken ten wickets at 19.89 in three matches for Warwickshire this summer. Durham’s Brydon Carse was expected to be part of England’s Test squad for the Ireland match but picked up a “trunk” injury in the most recent round of County Championship matches.

Jofra Archer and Olly Stone have already been ruled out of the early part of the Ashes series. Archer is still battling an issue with his right elbow that required further minor surgery last month and Stone has a hamstring tear, which has ruled him out for at least a month.