Ben Stokes backs Stuart Broad and James Anderson: It's stupid to not consider them for selection

Ben Stokes was named as the new England Test captain after Joe Root chose to resign from his position in the aftermath of The Ashes and the West Indies series

Ben Stokes was officially unveiled as the new England Test captain on Tuesday, 3 May. Stokes, who is taking over Joe Root spoke in his first press conference and hinted at several changes in terms of selection and institution in the hopes for changing England’s red ball game.

Speaking in the press conference, Stokes said that it would be stupid to not consider James Anderson and Stuart Broad for selection as they have been England’s best fast bowlers for a long time.

"The best way to give yourself a winning Test match is picking your 11 best players," he said. "If James Anderson and Stuart Broad are fit., they're up for selection because they are the two best bowlers in England. They are two of the greats of the game, and in my opinion, it's stupid to never consider them for selection. They are part of the best 11, so it's pretty simple," he further added.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have publicly made their disappointment felt during Joe Root’s tenure after they were dropped from the team. Under Joe Root’s captaincy, England were under severe scrutiny regarding their policy of workload management where they failed to give Joe Root England’s strongest XI while playing in the World Test Championships.

Taking on the subject of workload management, Stokes said that he will be available in all three formats, but added that Test cricket will be his number one priority. Stokes had earlier taken a long break from cricket, and returned to the English team in the Ashes Down Under. England were drubbed 0-4 against Australia which essentially prompted the sweeping changes in English cricket.

Asked about his duty in the team, Stokes said that he would like to make a quick turnover from failure to success because a cricketer is only as good as their next game.