London [UK], June 9 : Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes England are "hanging their hats" on trying to convince Test captain Ben Stokes to feature in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which could be the missing piece of the puzzle that the Three Lions are trying to figure out.
Stokes has been a missing face in England's T20I fold since his heroics in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan at the famed MCG in 2022. The seasoned star opted out of England's title defence last year, "a sacrifice" that allows him to be the all-rounder he "wants to be for the foreseeable future."
With less than a year left before the latest edition of the marquee event in India and Sri Lanka, Doull sees Stokes's inclusion as vital for England. According to him, Stokes will be a tactical advantage, allowing them to go in with two genuine seamers and leave enough room to add spinners in the XI on the turning tracks in the subcontinent.
"I think England might be hanging their hats on convincing Stokes to play in the 2026 T20 World Cup. I'm serious! They fully believe in that dressing room, and in that management group, that they will convince him to play. He then fills that role that means they can go in with two genuine seamers, Stokes and then the spin options they want in the side, which includes Bethell, Jacks, Rashid," Doull said as quoted from Sky Sports.
England will line up under the newly established captaincy of Harry Brook after Jos Buttler relinquished the position following an abysmal run in the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
In his first assignment as England's white-ball captain, Brook boasts a 5-0 record with three ODI victories over the West Indies and then topping it up with two wins on the trot over the Caribbean side.
With immense firepower in his ranks, Brook-led England gunned down a daunting 197-run target set by the Men in Maroon to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest.
"I've said plenty of times, we have a lot of depth. With small boundaries here, we felt West Indies were under par by about 30 runs. It gives us great confidence knowing we've got Will Jacks, Tom Banton, and Jacob Bethell batting five, six and seven. The top order can go out there all guns blazing," Brook told Sky Sports.