Ben Stokes' Replacement- England's Old Workhorse Awaits ECB's Approval

Ben Stokes - (Source: AFP)It has been a month since Ben Stokes announced his international retirement, shocking the world. England are all set to play their first Test assignment in Stokes’ absence when they face Pakistan on August 19 for a three-match Test series. ECB has yet to name the England Test squad vs Pakistan, and the biggest question is who will take Ben Stokes’ place. The upcoming series will also mark a new era in England cricket. Stephen Fleming has been unveiled as the new coach, while Joe Root will serve his 2nd tenure as Test captain.Craig Overton Expresses Interest in Taking Ben Stokes’ PlaceIn the latest developments, England’s star all-rounder Craig Overton has expressed interest in replacing Ben Stokes in the Three Lions’ squad. For the unversed, Overton has not played for the Three Lions since 2022. "I'd like to think so. From what I've done this summer, I feel like I could go close, but there's a lot of other good cricketers that are competing for that role. It depends on what type of player they want to fill that role with. I'm sure there's a few ways that they could go," Overton said as quoted by Cricinfo, on if he feels in contention for an international recall after Ben Stokes' retirement.Is Craig Overton The Right Guy To Replace Ben Stokes?The 32-year-old had a brilliant County Season, where he scored 548 runs in 14 innings, averaging 45.67 with the bat. The right-handed batter scored 3 centuries, showcasing his ability to bolster the English middle order. Also Read: Ben Stokes Faces Competition From KKR Star For Most-Expensive BBL Player TagEven with the ball, Craig Overton was magnificent and picked up 33 wickets in 16 innings, including a five-wicket haul. At present, England don’t have quality all-rounders in the mix, which actually brings Craig Overton pretty much into the scheme of things.Having said that, Craig faces competition from his own brother Jamie Overton, who could also be in contention for the allrounder's role after Ben Stokes' retirement. However, if we compare the performances of the twin brothers, then Craig has had a superior year in 2026 than the CSK star all-rounder.Jamie Overton focused more on his white-ball skills and could only score 65 runs and picked 2 wickets in County Division 2025. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Craig Overton is picked up in the England squad after 4 years.What's Next For Ben Stokes?Despite not being associated with England cricket, Ben Stokes is still making noise in the domestic circuit. The 35-year-old is currently playing England's One-Day Cup for Durham, where he has 193 runs in 4 innings and also picked up 2 wickets.There are reports that Stokes is open to franchise cricket and is most likely to pen a deal with Sydney Sixers for BBL 2026, which might make him the most expensive player in the history of the league.Stokes is also likely to enter IPL 2027 auction, marking a return to the league after a long hiatus.Also Read: PCB Appoints New Coach Ahead Of Pakistan Tour Of England 2026