Benjamin Stokes

England have won only one of their past 17 Test matches and are winless in five series, leading to skipper Joe Root stepping down last month.

Superstar all-rounder Stokes was appointed in Root's place and now has the task of getting the team back on track.

He starts without a head coach, with Stokes acknowledging on Wednesday – as he addressed the media as captain for the first time – there has been "a lot of speculation and a lot of names".

The Durham man is "sure" he will have a role in that appointment, but for now the focus is on the "huge honour" of leading his country in a first Test against New Zealand at Lord's at the start of June.

"That [poor form] is obvious and something that we can't shy away from," Stokes said.

"One thing I feel like I've got to do is to get everyone not focusing on what's gone on in the past. We want to turn it around, so it's all about the future and what we've got ahead of us.

"In my opinion, that starts now and obviously on June 2, when we play that first Test match. If anything, it's a clean slate, and we can't live on what's gone on in the past.

"The simple saying I always try to live by is that you're only as good as your next game. That works very well with success and with failure as well."

Stuart Broad and James Anderson will be back for that match having been dropped under Root.

"You pick your best 11 players," Stokes explained, "and if Stuart Broad and James Anderson are fit, they're definitely part of that."

But how will he go about lifting the rest of the team? Stokes was reluctant to discuss his qualities as a captain, saying: "That would be talking about myself too much, which I don't like doing."

He did suggest a recent break from cricket to look after his mental wellbeing gave him crucial insight, though.

"I see it especially as a positive in the role I'm in now, because I've got a lot of experiences that I can look back on, good and bad," Stokes said.

He added: "Being a captain's not just about focusing on what goes on between 11 o'clock and six o'clock. It's a job that continues after those hours."

Regular skipper Root will leave the team's training camp on Wednesday to be with his wife, Carrie, who is expecting their child later this week.

Due to coronavirus protocol, Root will need to self-isolate for seven days once he leaves the hospital, meaning he will miss the start of the first Test, which begins on July 8.

All-rounder Stokes, who is normally the vice-captain, will therefore fill in for Root as the skipper for the first of the three Tests.

Root is due to return to the role for the second Test, which begins in Manchester on July 13.

Bio-secure venues minus spectators, home umpires, potential coronavirus substitutes and no saliva on the ball are just some of the consequences of attempting to play during a global health pandemic. It will be Test cricket, just not quite as we have come to know it.  

There will also be a noticeable change to England’s team, too. With Joe Root out due to the birth of his second child, Ben Stokes will captain the team for the first time.  

The opportunity to lead in a Test perhaps completes the circle for the all-rounder. An incident outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017 cost him the vice-captaincy, but he has rehabilitated his reputation through his actions, both on and off the field, to reclaim the position as Root's deputy. 

Now, at 29, Stokes is preparing to become the 81st Test captain for England. It is a one-off on this occasion, yet also a potential dress rehearsal for the future. Root is the same age as his team-mate but has been in charge since February 2017; the grind eventually takes a toll on all who fill the role – and the numbers suggest performances suffer with the added burden.  

Sitting fourth in the official Test rankings, England will be wary of asking their talismanic all-rounder to do too much. For now, though, this is an opportunity for Stokes to step in and demonstrate his capabilities as a captain (a role he has not filled in first-class cricket previously). 

He has been second in command, now it is time to take on the top job, albeit temporarily. 

A (RECENT) HISTORY LESSON

Stokes will be the 11th different player to lead England in the 21st century. The last three to take on the job – Root, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen – all started out with victories. 

Indeed, Michael Vaughan was the last skipper to suffer disappointment on his captaincy debut in the format, losing to South Africa at Lord's in July 2003. He was not aided by Nasser Hussain, the man who had stepped down prior to the match, dropping Graeme Smith when he had eight to his name. The left-hander went on to make 259 as the Proteas triumphed by an innings.

Mark Butcher stood in for a solitary game in August 1999, taking over with Hussain sidelined during the home series against New Zealand at Old Trafford. 

England drew that game but Butcher contributed just 14 runs in his two knocks during a weather-hit contest. He was dropped for the next game as England lost at The Oval to go down 2-1 in the series.

Cook was captain for 59 Tests – a record for England – while Michael Atherton (54), Vaughan (51) and Andrew Strauss (50) also made the half-century mark. Root's tally is at 39 and with a hectic itinerary mapped out over the next 18 months or so, dependent on any further complications caused by COVID-19, he will not have to wait too long to reach the milestone.

STOKES BY THE STATS 

To say Stokes is a key contributor for England is an understatement. His match-winning abilities with both bat and ball are hugely important as they bring balance to the XI. His presence means the attack can include five frontline bowlers without having to weaken the middle order. 

His overall statistics for Test cricket do not do justice to his talent. Stokes averages 36.5 with the bat in 63 Test appearances, yet he's recorded a mark of just over 47 across his 26 knocks since the start of 2019. 

Included is that unforgettable innings against Australia at Headingley last year, as he kept his side alive in the Ashes with an unbeaten 135. England chased down 359 on a fourth day that will live long in the memory for those who watched it, Stokes adding 73 with last-man Jack Leach – who contributed only a single to the cause – for company. 

The left-hander had already made a century in the previous Test of that series at Lord's, while earlier this year he hit 120 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth. 

Stokes passed 4,000 Test runs for his career during the series with the Proteas but now stands on the brink of another notable personal landmark.

He is just three shy of bringing up 150 wickets in the format. He posted career-best figures of 6-22 against West Indies in 2017, with his overall average against the men from the Caribbean a touch better than his career mark (31.09 compared to 32.68). 

THE NUMBERS GAME

So, is captaincy a hindrance or a help? Considering his importance to the team, England will be loathed to overburden Stokes, a factor that would be considered when deciding if he is the right candidate to replace Root for more than just the odd Test. 

Ian Botham - another great all-rounder - did not prosper during his stint as captain. His 12-Test reign saw him average a meagre 13.14 with the bat (his career number finished at 33.54) and ended with a pair during the 1981 Ashes. Freed of the responsibility as Mike Brearley took over, Botham produced a series of blistering performances to make sure England retained the urn, including an innings at Headingley comparable to Stokes' knock.

Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, also found it a difficult role during his three matches in charge. The best player is not necessarily the ideal candidate. 

"The entertainers and the guys that have to carry that mantle in the team sometimes aren't the best captains, and sometimes struggle with the extra added pressure," Pietersen told talkSPORT.

"You get looked at completely differently. Responsibilities change, communication changes, the way in which you carry yourself in the dressing room changes. It's a difficult place to be. I struggled with it: I absolutely hated it, and I was rubbish."

Root has seen his batting output slip considerably since taking on the added responsibility. Having averaged 52.8 in his first 53 Tests, the right-hander has since made 3,005 runs at 42.9 in his games as captain. Good, but not great.

Vaughan too suffered a drop, averaging 36 in his 51 Tests in charge, compared to 51 for the rest of his career. Cook, however, improved during his tenure, going up from 44.6 to 46.6, as did fellow opener Atherton (35.3 to 40.6).

England will have to work out if the risk is worth the reward in terms of Stokes becoming captain, considering what he means to the side. At least the series opener against West Indies will offer a potential glimpse into the future. 

Root was appointed as successor to England great Alastair Cook in 2017 and went on to win 27 red-ball matches while in charge of the team, which is a record.

However, Root also holds the record for the most red-ball defeats while captain of his country (26) and England have won only one of their past 17 Tests and are winless in five series in the longest format. 

That dismal run of form, capped by a 1-0 series defeat to West Indies earlier this year, resulted in Root stepping down in April.

England are also without a coach, with Chris Silverwood having left his post following a 4-0 hammering in the Ashes, though former batsman Rob Key has now been appointed as the new managing director.

Root, whose own form was superb in 2021 as he scored 1,708 runs across 29 innings at an average of 61 and a strike rate of 56.85, is nevertheless set to remain a prominent member of England's Test team, and Stokes is pleased to have someone he hailed as a "great man" by his side.

"Joe phoned me before it became public about his decision. It was a very brief chat, it was probably not the right time to start reminiscing about everything while he was on the phone," Stokes said in an interview posted to the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) official website.

"And then I phoned him before it became public that I'd taken it because I didn't want him to see it on social media.

"When Joe took over, I was made vice-captain, it was a really exciting time.

"I think there's a handful of players who I think will have respect after the game. Every player who's played under him, players in the future as well, will see what a great man he is. He's a real carer of people that he plays with.

"Our friendship goes beyond just being team-mates, we've known each other since we were 14 years old.

"I'm looking forward to working with him in a different capacity but I'll also be using him a lot because I've got a lot to learn about being captain."

While Stokes is aware that England's Test team needs a refresh after their poor run, his immediate priority is simple.

"I just want to win games," he said. "At the end of the day being a captain is about winning games, that's what you get judged on.

"Obviously you've got to mould the team, create a winning mentality, which you need to have at the top level, but my main goal, I think my duty is to win as many games as possible. That's my main goal."

Stokes' first matches in charge come in June, when England host New Zealand in a three-Test series.

Stokes will feature for the Jets in their T20 Blast fixture against Birmingham Bears.

He had not played since suffering the injury playing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League in April.

Stokes missed England's Test series to defeat to New Zealand and will not play in their limited-overs series with Sri Lanka this month.

His appearance for Durham will be his first for the Jets since 2018 and should boost hopes of Stokes playing in England's limited-overs series with Pakistan next month.

He has a batting average of 53.85 in his 12 ODIs against Pakistan, though he has only taken one wicket in those games.

After a three-match ODI series, England face Pakistan in three T20Is. Stokes was dismissed for just four in his sole appearance in T20Is against Pakistan in 2016.

Stokes did the damage when he ran in from the boundary to claim a low catch and dismiss Punjab Kings batsman Chris Gayle in the Royals' first game of the tournament, which they lost by four runs on Monday.

The Royals on Tuesday revealed that Stokes will play no further part in the competition.

A statement from the franchise said: "Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ben Stokes injured a finger on his left hand while fielding during the team's match against Punjab Kings on 12 April 2021 in Mumbai.

"Subsequent investigations revealed that he sustained a broken finger, which will unfortunately rule him out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2021 season.

"Everyone at Rajasthan Royals absolutely admires Ben for being such a huge asset and a valuable member of the Royals family, both on and off the field, and wishes him a speedy recovery.

"We are delighted that Ben would like to stay with the group to provide his valued support and inputs off the field. In the meantime, we will be reviewing potential replacement options for the remainder of the season."

The England and Wales Cricket Board said it will confirm the next steps for Stokes after he is assessed over the coming days.

There was positive news on Stokes' England and Royals team-mate Jofra Archer earlier in the day, with the paceman given the all-clear by his hand consultant to resume training.

Archer, who underwent surgery last month, was given the go-ahead to return to light training this week, working closely with the Sussex and England men's medical teams.

An update on his elbow injury will be provided once he has resumed bowling and it is not yet clear when he will be available to play again.

Stokes, who captained the team in Joe Root's absence for the opener against West Indies in July, has featured in all four Tests played on home soil so far this year.

However, the 29-year-old – who has been struggling with an injury which restricted him to just four overs of bowling in the victory over Pakistan in Manchester – will not be available for the next two matches, which take place at the Rose Bowl. 

The all-rounder will instead be heading to New Zealand to spend time with his family, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced in a statement on a Sunday.

In December, Stokes' father, Ged, fell ill while attending England's tour of South Africa. 

While his father recovered in hospital after undergoing three operations, Stokes continued to play on for England, helping clinch a 3-1 series triumph over the Proteas. 

However, England - who went 1-0 up against Pakistan on Saturday - will now be without their vice-captain in Southampton. 

Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes were the heroes as the hosts chased down a target of 277 to secure a three-wicket triumph at Old Trafford.

The four-day match starts on June 1 at Lord's, four days after the IPL final, and provides Brendon McCullum's side with their final warm-up fixture before the Ashes.

Stokes, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for £1.6m in December's auction, leads a selection of England stars including Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at the IPL this year.

But speaking ahead of his side's second Test with New Zealand this week, the captain has vowed to ensure he is available, though he will leave others to decide for themselves.

"Yes, I'll play [against Ireland]. I'll be making sure I give myself enough time to get back and play the Ireland game," he said.

"I think it's a little bit too far ahead to say [for others], but one thing I've got to look at is we've got the Ashes after the Ireland Test.

"I'll probably get round the individuals and ask them what they want to be ready for the Ashes.

"Those five [Ashes] games are obviously the big ones of the summer, and you've got to think about what the lads want.

"You also have to think about is if something was to happen in the Ireland game, and we lose someone for the Ashes.

"It's just one of those where you have to weigh up the options of what the individual person actually wants out of that week versus do we really need to play that one? Because I'm obviously right in saying that series is bigger than that game against Ireland."

Stokes sat out the 2022 edition of the IPL, having suffered a broken finger in his most recent game there for Rajasthan Royals, which contributed to what became a break from cricket.

After a 267-run win in Mount Maunganui, England are out to seal a clean sweep of their two-Test series against New Zealand, starting in Wellington on Friday.

Under the tutelage of New Zealand great Brendon McCullum's coaching and Stokes' captaincy, England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests while playing a thrilling brand of cricket dubbed 'Bazball'.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday revealed Stokes has decided to take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect.

Stokes has been captaining the Northern Superchargers in the inaugural Hundred competition but he will not be in the England side to face India when a five-match series starts next week.

Craig Overton will replace the vice-captain in the squad to take on Virat Kohli's side.

Managing director of England men's Cricket Ashley Giles, said: "Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and wellbeing.
 
"Our primary focus has always been and will continue to be the mental health and welfare of all of our people. The demands on our athletes to prepare and play elite sport are relentless in a typical environment, but the ongoing pandemic has acutely compounded this.

"Spending significant amounts of time away from family, with minimal freedoms, is extremely challenging. The cumulative effect of operating almost continuously in these environments over the last 16 months has had a major impact on everyone's wellbeing.
 
"Ben will be given as long as he needs, and we look forward to seeing him playing cricket for England in the future."
 

Stokes sustained the injury while playing in the Indian Premier League in April but returned to action with Durham in June.

The 30-year-old also played through the pain barrier in July to captain a second-string ODI side to a series whitewash over visiting Pakistan after an initial coronavirus outbreak ruled out the majority of the regular squad.

However, before the India Test series later that month, Stokes announced he would take a break from cricket to protect his mental wellbeing and to allow his finger to fully recover.

On Thursday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) provided another update on the all-rounder's injury progress.

"England all-rounder Ben Stokes has undergone a second operation on Monday 4th October to address ongoing issues with the finger that he injured in the IPL in April," the statement said.

"Stokes had two screws and scar tissue removed from the index finger of his left hand. 

"He will now undergo an intensive period of rehabilitation for the next four weeks under the supervision of the ECB's medical team."

Stokes is already set to miss the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which starts on October 17, but the operation puts further doubt on his return in time for The Ashes.

His presence with the touring party in Australia – who will host England if agreements on coronavirus-related bubble issues can be agreed – was already doubtful but the operation makes the likelihood of an appearance even slimmer.

The all-rounder will be sorely missed by Chris Silverwood's tourists if so, with Stokes averaging 38.37 against Australia, whom he scored 135 not out against in one of cricket's most famous knocks at Headingley in 2019.

Archer has not played on the international stage since March 2021 due to injury, but returned to action for the England Lions against England this week.

The luckless paceman bowled nine overs in his first match for 16 months, not taking a wicket but rattling Zak Crawley on the helmet with a rapid bouncer in Abu Dhabi.

England will attempt to regain the Ashes from Australia on home soil next year and Stokes wants hostile quick Archer to play his part.

The all-rounder told Sky Sports: "It's been great to see him out here when we joined up with the Lions.

"It's great to see him back running with the ball in his hand. He's one of the superstars of the international game and it's great to see him running back in, bowling fast and it's really good to have him back around the group as well.

"I think he's just really excited to be back. He's obviously had a long time off with injury and as exciting as it is we've got to be careful not to rush him back as we don't want to see Jofra Archer on the sidelines for this amount of [time] again.

"That's the plan, hopefully we can have Jofra fit and ready especially for The Ashes.

"That's something that we're looking at for Jof and it would be great to have him available for selection for that."

Leg-spinning all-rounder Rehan Ahmed could become the youngest man to play a Test for England against Pakistan next month after he was added to the squad this week.

Stokes is excited by the potential the 18-year-old, who also played for the Lions in a drawn three-day match this week, possesses.

He said: "We've seen him as one of those very rare talents. To have someone at such a young age be so noticeable as a cricketer with the way that he bowls and the way that he bats.

"We saw it as a very good opportunity to get him into the squad, get him around the group, get him into the environment.

"He's a fantastic talent, he loves cricket, he just spends all his time shadow-batting in his room. He absolutely loves it.

"I'm really excited to have him into the squad, get him round the group and see what he's got."

The new skipper believes it is too soon to dispense with the fast-bowling expertise of the duo who between them have taken 1,177 wickets in the five-day international game.

Broad, 35, looks set to add to his 152 caps, and 39-year-old Anderson can expect to boost his total of 169 Test appearances in the upcoming series against New Zealand.

That is set to mark Stokes' debut as England's new full-time Test captain, with the first match beginning on June 2 at Lord's.

Joe Root's successor made it an urgent matter when he spoke to new England managing director Rob Key, after the pace pair were left out for the recent West Indies series and used sparingly in the Ashes.

"When I met Ben Stokes the other day, one of the first things he said was, 'Jimmy and Broady are back'," Key said.

"I said, 'Absolutely, no problem'. Now that might have been a bit of a problem if I didn't think that, but I was on exactly the same page.

"That wasn't much of a debate, we both agreed. I sat with Broady a week and a half ago and Jimmy last night. They're both keen and ready to go."

With Joe Root absent from England's squad for the first Test in Southampton due to the birth of his second child, Stokes is to take charge for the opening game of the three-match series.

Sibley looks set to open the batting alongside Rory Burns as England return to action after a lengthy coronavirus-enforced absence.

"The boys are all raring to go. We've had the three-day warm-up which was good practice, we're all looking forward to getting out in the middle," said Sibley.

"[Stokes] is just going to do what he does, lead from the front, lead by example.

"His quality and energy on the pitch is a unique skill and presence. He'll just use that.

"He's someone the young guys look up to and will continue to do that regardless of whether he's captain or not."

Sibley scored his maiden Test 100 against South Africa in Cape Town in January and impressed on the tour, though he did not get chance to build on those displays prior to lockdown.

However, the 24-year-old – who revealed he has lost 12 kilograms over the course of the break – acknowledged the rest has been helpful.

"At the time I was raring to go and it's new for me to be playing for England, so I was buzzing to play every game," he added.

"But you've got to try and take it as a positive and to have a break after such a long winter was nice. To sit back and work out what I needed to improve on to keep doing well at this level, further my game.

"I'm trying to build on what I did in South Africa and hopefully contribute to a few wins. A few of us did quite well in South Africa, it feels like a lifetime ago but it's a case of trying to build on that and trying to score a few big scores in the series.

"I've been working hard during lockdown, it was probably needed to be fair. Over the winter I was carrying too much weight. I'm glad I'm feeling a bit fitter."

All of the upcoming matches will be played behind closed doors, though Sibley does not feel his game will be affected too drastically.

"If I could have had a choice, it's always a dream to play a Test at Lord's or at your home ground in front of a packed house," he said.

"Circumstances haven't allowed that to happen. I'd always choose to have a crowd in but maybe it might work to my advantage. It's not going to change how I play, I'm just going to do my thing."

That is the view of former England star Andrew Flintoff, who himself had difficulty in balancing the same responsibilities with the national side.

Stokes, who is Test skipper Joe Root's second in command, has had a huge influence across all three formats and Flintoff has no doubt he could take on the top job.

"There'll be the argument where people say that all-rounders don't make good captains," Flintoff told talkSPORT.

"We've tried it before, 'look at that Flintoff, look at [Ian] Botham' – everyone will get labelled that they can't do it if you're an all-rounder.

"I'm sure that Ben will be thinking, 'I'd love a go at that, I'd love a chance to captain England'. But he's vice-captain, he's obviously got the respect of all the players, his current captain, his coaching staff.

"Why can't Ben Stokes be good? He's done everything else, he almost single-handedly won a World Cup final, he's won Test matches on his own. He's a leader in the dressing room, he's involved in all the tricky situations in games.

"At some point he'll get a go at being England captain and he just might be the one who solves the puzzle of being an all-rounder and doing the job well. 

"One thing I would say is, sometimes as an all-rounder and being that influential within a team you can put a bit too much pressure on yourself and that's the only thing he's got to be wary of."

Stokes replaced Joe Root as captain at the end of April and New Zealander Brendon McCullum has since been installed as head coach.

All-rounder Stokes takes over with England having failed to win any of their past five series and languishing at the bottom of the World Test Championship.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been recalled for Stokes' first match as permanent skipper, while paceman Matthew Potts will make his debut in London on Thursday.

The new captain does not want to hear talk of a 'reset' in the longest format ahead of the three-match series against the Black Caps, as he challenged both older heads and new faces to step up.

"I just want everyone to feel free under my captaincy," Stokes said.

"Obviously there has been talk around the word 'reset', which is something I don't particularly like. I just see this as a complete and utter blank canvas for this Test team going forward.

"We have got so much experience in that dressing room, with myself, Joe, Broady, Jimmy, Jonny [Bairstow], and at the other end we've younger lads with inexperience, but this is our time. We are going to dictate how things go, going forward.

"There is nothing on this blank canvas. Everyone is starting fresh now, whether you are Matt Potts or Stuart Broad or Jimmy Anderson."

New Zealand beat India in the inaugural World Test Championship at the Ageas Bowl last year, but they failed to win their three series since.

The Black Caps drew 1-1 with Bangladesh and South Africa on home soil following a series loss in India.

New Zealand are undefeated in their previous seven Tests against England, winning four and drawing three, but have not celebrated a Test victory at Lord's since 1999.

Potts to bring the potency England have lacked?

Potts gets his chance after making a brilliant start to the season for Durham.

The 23-year-old is the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship with 35 at an average of 18.57. He comes into the team with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Olly Stone and Saqib Mahmood on the list of absentees.

Anderson and Broad return after they were overlooked for a 1-0 series defeat against West Indies in the Caribbean.

Little time to adjust for tourists' IPL contingent

Captain Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee and Trent Boult will have to make a swift adjustment to red-ball cricket after Indian Premier League stints.

Boult is not expected to play in the first Test after playing in the final for Rajasthan Royals last weekend.

Williamson was dismissed for a duck in a defeat against a First Class Counties XI after a poor IPL season with the bat, but it will surely not be long before the skipper returns to form.

Stokes, who led his country to a historic 3-0 series win over Pakistan last week, retired from one-day internationals earlier this year, stating it was "unsustainable" for him to play in all three formats of the game.

And the 31-year-old thinks the intense schedule needs to be addressed to give players the best chance of performing at their highest level. 

"It really has an impact on the multi-format players and people who want to play all three forms," he told the Today programme on BBC Radio Four.

"Obviously you want international cricket to be at the highest standard whenever you possibly can but over the last few years I think you've seen a lot of different squads being picked, a lot of different players coming in, coming out, being rested.

"And I don't think that's the way for international cricket to go. The scheduling and everything like that I think just doesn't get as much attention given to it as it should."

Stokes took a six-month break from the sport last year to prioritise his mental health – a decision he looks back on with pride.

"I felt I needed to obviously take a break, and I felt I needed some help to get me back to where I am today, and to get me back on the field from after I took the break," he added.

"I didn't ever really have an issue with coming out and expressing my feelings and opening up about it, because obviously I went into detail a lot in my documentary that I did about my break and how I was feeling, and the steps I took to get me back to a certain place.

"Out of all of that I can't tell you how much pride that I felt in myself in doing that, and some of the messages I received from people I don't know who have never met me.

"But that's why I took huge pride out of it, putting myself in the public eye, and that it's actually really helped a lot of people.

"I feel as if men in particular, because that's where the stigma is, the more men that can do it, great, because I feel if you do, you're going to help a lot more people around the world who are in a similar situation to you."

Australia captain Pat Cummins had occupied the top spot since February 2019, while Anderson was last at the summit in November 2018.

At the age of 40, he is the oldest bowler to reach the top of the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936.

Anderson took 7-54 across New Zealand's two innings in England's 267-run win at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui last week, and captain Stokes says his side are fortunate to have him.

"Albeit him being 40, I just can't see him stopping," Stokes told reporters ahead of the second Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

"Every time he turns out there, he's one of the main guys you throw the ball to when you feel like you need a wicket. He's just relentless with everything that he does.

"We're very lucky to have him. Rightfully so he's back at the top. I know sometimes those rankings don't mean much to people, but in our opinion, he has been one of the best, if not the best, for longer than what these rankings say."

Asked if Anderson cracked a smile at the news, Stokes quipped: "No. I don't think he'll be that fussed by it, to be honest - he'll just keep doing his thing."

New Zealand skipper Tim Southee also lavished praise on Anderson.

"He's phenomenal and has been for a long period of time," Southee said. "To have played as many Test matches as he's had is phenomenal on its own.

"He doesn't look like he's slowing down any stage. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching it from afar and any time you play against them it's a great chance to catch up and talk to them. To see a 40-year-old sitting at the top of the charts is pretty impressive."

Anderson made more history with his performance in the first Test, as he and Stuart Broad dethroned Australia greats Glenn McGrath and the late Shane Warne as the pair of team-mates with the most Test wickets between them while playing in the same side.

Broad and Anderson have taken 1,009 Test wickets combined from 133 appearances together – Warne and McGrath reached their total in 104 matches.

Stokes has named an unchanged team for the second Test, which starts on Friday, with New Zealand striving to salvage a draw.

While Broad and Anderson did the damage with the ball, Harry Brook was named player of the match after making 89 and 54, while Joe Root returned to form with a half-century in the second innings.

Stokes, who succeeded Joe Root to become England's Test captain last year, has implemented an aggressive approach and has led the side to 10 wins out of 12 since taking charge.

England have not won an Ashes series against Australia since 2015, but their skipper has promised not to deviate from this new style when they face the top-ranked Test side. 

"I'm not going to change anything just because it's the Ashes," Stokes told Sky Sports.

"I'm not going to change for anything or any situation, because then I'm not being true to myself and what I've done over the last year. 

"Every player knows the Ashes is where everything ramps up a bit – pressure, exposure, all kinds of stuff – but we'll just keep sticking to what we do.

"If you plan for negativity, it is inevitable it is going to happen." 

English pitches have notoriously been prepared to suit their swing bowlers, but the England captain revealed he has now requested flatter pitches to help benefit their swashbuckling batting approach and abundance of fast-bowling talent. 

"We want fast, flat wickets. We want to go out there and score quickly," he said. "I'm smiling because I'm looking forward to it. 

"I think having the option to have someone who can bowl above 90 miles per hour is what any captain wants.

"Hold me to it. Every game I play this summer will be to produce a result."

Stokes is close to knowing his XI for the first Test and has been boosted by his own fitness after concerns about his knee after England's Test series in New Zealand.

The all-rounder bowled himself sparingly in that series and has not played for Chennai Super Kings in their last two IPL games but said he is now bowling "pain-free" for the first time in over a year. 

"I've worked so hard over the last month, five weeks, to get where I am now," he said.

"That's down to a lot of hard work I've done – medically, in the gym, and I obviously had a bit of help with some cortisone injections.

"The main priority for me is making sure that I can fulfil my role as fourth seamer in the Ashes.

"I've had some good conversations with the people who are employed to look after us, body-wise. I said I'll be doing everything I can whilst I'm in India to make sure that when we get to the Ashes, I'll give myself the best opportunity to do my role."

Leach was substituted out of England's five-wicket win at Lord's last week after suffering a blow to the head while fielding in the morning session.

The left-arm tweaker was replaced by Matt Parkinson, who took 1-47 in the second innings of an unexpected debut at the start of a new era under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Leach has undergone the standard return-to-play concussion protocols and was included in an unchanged side for a second Test that starts at Trent Bridge on Friday.

Stokes revealed it was a straightforward call to select Leach.

The all-rounder said: "It was an easy decision. It was pretty unfortunate what happened to Leachy last week at Lord's, but he’s pulled up well this week, and it was pretty straightforward once we knew he was fit to play. He was so excited to get the summer going.

"We all know that one of Baz's [McCullum's] things is for fielders to chase the ball right to the boundary.

"He made a very good point, and made Leachy stand out, that little thing epitomises what this team is all about."

There has been talk that Stokes may not be able to bowl in Nottingham, but the skipper allayed concerns on the eve of the match.

"It's just body stiffness, wear and tear," he said. "It's just about being more sensible in our training, because when you get out there and cross that line, you obviously want to do everything that you can to help win a game for England."

England's victory at Lord's was their first in 10 Tests, Joe Root starring with his first fourth-innings century to reach the 10,000 runs landmark.

New Zealand will have to do without all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme for the rest of the three-match series due to a heel injury, but Henry Nicholls will make a timely return to the side after recovering from a calf problem.

Neil Wagner or Matt Henry could replace spinner Ajaz Patel as the Black Caps eye a first Test win over England at Trent Bridge since August 1986 to level the series at 1-1.

Uprooting former skipper key for Black Caps

Root marked his first match since stepping down as skipper by producing another masterclass to get England home with support from Ben Foakes last weekend.

The 31-year-old's unbeaten 115 made him only the second England batter to score 10,000 Test runs after Alastair Cook and the 14th from any nation.

De Grandhomme removed Root for only 11 in the first innings, and Kane Williamson will be desperate to prevent England's best batter from getting set again.

Southee closing in on landmark

Tim Southee took 4-55 in the first innings at the Home of Cricket but failed to add to his wicket haul in the second innings.

The paceman needs another eight scalps to become only the third New Zealand bowler to take 350 Test wickets, with Richard Hadlee (431) and Daniel Vettori (361) the only others to have achieved that feat.

The two are international rivals, with England all-rounder Stokes on the opposite side of the bitter Ashes divide.

However, they are team-mates with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and Stokes sees the same qualities in Smith whether he is playing with him or against him.

"He is still strange to play against and he's still strange to play with, and the best thing about it is that he admits it, he knows it," Stokes told the Rajasthan Royals Podcast.

"But I feel to be a genius you have to be a bit strange and you know he's certainly both.

"Even though he plays for Australia, biggest rivals of England, you've just got to hold your hands up sometimes to players like that and say, 'Yes, you're on a different level when it comes to batting.'"

Smith enjoyed a stunning Ashes series in England last year, scoring 774 runs in four matches at an average of 110.57.

Stokes was the hosts' star performer, his 441 runs coming at an average of 55.12, but he considers himself a fundamentally different type of batsman to Smith, who he says is "on all the time".

"I could never be like that," said Stokes. "Personally, I could not think about cricket in the way that Steve does when it comes to batting.

"Obviously, he's on all the time. That's why he averages 60 [62.84] after whatever he does in Test cricket. But that's not for me. It is for him, [and] who's to say who is right or wrong."