Ben Stokes backs Chris Woakes to succeed as England’s new attack leader | England vs West Indies 2024

Chris Woakes has been called upon to take on the role of leader of the England bowling group. The 35-year-old is expected to play his 50th Test match when the second Test against West Indies begins on Thursday. He is now the oldest and most experienced bowler in the team following the retirement of Jimmy Anderson.

Ben Stokes, the England captain, said: “I see this as an opportunity for someone like Chris to take a leadership role in the bowling unit. Woakesy is a very experienced bowler, a very experienced player.

“We’re used to Jimmy and Broady (Stuart Broad) doing that. This is a great opportunity for someone else to step up and be that person… Woakesy has a lot of experience and I’m sure he’ll handle this bigger responsibility with flying colors.”

Without Anderson and Broad – in whose honour the Pavilion End at Trent Bridge will be renamed before the match – Woakes will open the bowling. Along with the far less experienced Gus Atkinson, he will be expected to assess the conditions and provide feedback to the other bowlers.

“Jimmy took the new ball and always knew what was best,” Stokes said. “That burden now falls on Gus and Woakesy this week and then on whoever is lucky enough to take the new ball in the future.”

Woakes did not appear to be at his best, picking up one wicket as England comfortably won the opening Test at Lord’s last week, in his first international appearance since the death of his father in May. “For him, this game was much more emotional,” Stokes said.

“Even though he didn’t quite get going like we’re used to from him, it was a good performance. He took some time off because of an emotional situation, but now he’s back on the field and doing what he wants to do.”

Mark Wood will replace Anderson, the only change to the starting XI (unless Ben Duckett is recalled to be with his wife while they await the birth of their first child) and Stokes is excited at the prospect of seeing the Durham batsman team up with Atkinson, who took 12 wickets on his debut at Lord’s. “Ask any batsman in the world, pace is a massive weapon that makes you do different things,” he said. “It makes you think differently. But with your pace there has to be skill.”

“Gus showed last week that he is more than just a pure fast bowler, he is incredibly skilful. Just like Mark Wood. The ability to bowl as fast as he does but also have control and swing is something very rare.”

Stokes said he hoped to field another well-known pace bowler in Jofra Archer soon, but the 29-year-old was unlikely to return to the Test team this year. “It was great to watch him in the World Cup, but you can’t get too cocky,” he said. “He’s still passionate about playing Test cricket, but he’s had a very, very tough couple of years. We don’t want to rush him back.”