Ben Stokes' T20 World Cup 2026 participation announced

The England National Cricket Team is currently taking on the West Indies in a white-ball series at home, but Ben Stokes has yet again kept himself unavailable to make sure he would be fully fresh for the upcoming five-match Test series against India, starting on June 20 in Leeds.

The 34-year-old all-rounder was last seen in ODI cricket back in November 2023 at the ICC Cricket World Cup, while his last T20I appearance was against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Even Stokes retired from ODIs in 2022, only to return next year for the ODI World Cup 2023.

Ben Stokes skips West Indies series, eyes India Tests at home

However, England’s Test captain has already made it clear a long time ago that Test cricket is his priority, and he is committed to the format, keeping himself away from the white-ball formats, keeping in mind his fitness and workload as an all-rounder.

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Stokes made his comeback in the recent four-day Test against Zimbabwe after a long rehabilitation process following a hamstring injury that he sustained during England’s Test tour of New Zealand last year. But he has not made himself available for the white-ball selection.

The England captain is currently training with the squad for the upcoming Test series against India. Well, the Harry Brook-led England cricket team is doing well against the West Indies, but the former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes that they are in need of Stokes for the team balance after Adil Rashid's poor bowling in the second T20I against the West Indies.

England banking on Ben Stokes' return for ICC T20 World Cup 2025: Simon Doull

After England’s four-wicket win over the West Indies in the second T20I game on June 8, Simon Doull pointed out that using just two main seamers works when they rotate them, like swapping Matthew Potts for Mark Wood, but it may not be ideal going forward.

He also noted that Rashid Khan struggled while bowling at the death, which is tough for any leg-spinner. Doull highlighted Brook’s comment about wanting batting depth, and he suggested that England needs all-rounders like the West Indies to get that depth. He also suggested that England might be hoping to convince Stokes to play in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 next year.

Simon Doull told the Sky Sports broadcaster: “Yeah, and I don't know whether they're hanging their hats on the fact that they will convince Ben Stokes to play in that World Cup. I'm serious. I think that's what they're hanging their hats on. They fully believe in that dressing room, in the management group, that they will in time convince him to play in that T20 World Cup.”

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Simon Doull calls for Ben Stokes’ return to boost England’s depth

He noted that if Stokes is ready, it would allow the England side to stick with two frontline pacers, use the all-rounder as a third seam option, while still strengthening the batting.

The New Zealander further said that Stokes’ presence would allow England to go with two front-line pacers and keep a variety of spinners like Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, or even Jacob Bethell. Doull is confident that the team management is trying to convince Stokes to come back for the T20 World Cup 2026.

Doull signed off by saying, “And he fills that role that they can go in with two genuine seamers, Stokes, and then the spinners that they want to have in the side, which include Bethell, which include whoever they might want to pick, whether they go with Jacks, Adil Rashid, they've got genuine spinners, and they've got part-time spinners. So, I'm convinced that that's what they are thinking.”