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Steve Harmison has called on England to send Ben Stokes home from the World Cup or risk losing their Test captain for the start of their forthcoming series in India.<\/p>\n
Stokes has revealed he will undergo surgery on his longstanding left knee injury once England\u2019s tournament is over but, with the defending champions no longer able to reach the semi-finals, they could decide to cut their losses and bring things forward.<\/p>\n
The first Test of a major five-match series starts in Hyderabad on January 25, with a training camp in Dubai beginning two weeks earlier, meaning Stokes is already on a tight recovery schedule for a major operation.<\/p>\n
The 32-year-old\u2019s instincts will be to see a grim campaign through to the bitter end, with games against the Netherlands in Pune and Pakistan in Kolkata still to come, but former England quick Harmison feels decisive action is needed to take the decision out of his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am amazed Ben is still in the country, I don\u2019t see any point in him being there,\u201d Harmison told the PA news agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure that conversation has been had but it needs strong leadership. It needs someone to say, \u2018Ben, you\u2019re going home. Here\u2019s a ticket, there\u2019s the plane, get on it\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Rob Key, as director of cricket, should probably take that decision and if I was (Test coach) Brendon McCullum I\u2019d be doing everything I could to encourage him. I\u2019ve got a good relationship with Ben and I know for a fact he won\u2019t thank me for saying this, but I\u2019m saying it because it\u2019s what is best for the England cricket team.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has the chance to get a 10-day head start and it\u2019s common sense to take it. You never know what they are going to find with a big op, or what the rehab looks like. So give yourself the extra time because it could be the difference between being fully fit for the first Test or the third.\u201d<\/p>\n
The single most important person in that Test setup is Ben Stokes. They need their leader and that\u2019s why he has to go home.<\/p>\n
Despite his fitness struggles, Stokes has led England in all 18 games since he took over the red-ball reins from Joe Root. His bold, aggressive captaincy style has helped rebuild the side in a completely fresh image and Harmison cannot imagine taking on India in their own back yard without him at the vanguard.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe single most important person in that Test setup is Ben Stokes. They need their leader and that\u2019s why he has to go home,\u201d said Harmison, who is commentating in India for Star Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tour is going to be twice as hard as the Ashes given the conditions, so he\u2019s going to be more important than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harmison also called on England to put their faith in Harry Brook for the last two games of the World Cup, with the rising star bafflingly kept on the sidelines for the last three games despite repeated batting failures.<\/p>\n
\u201cI struggle to understand how Brook doesn\u2019t get on. I know we\u2019ve been picking world champions but they\u2019re not playing at a champions\u2019 level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEngland should have been brave enough to say, \u2018this bloke needs to play\u2019. We are talking about someone who is the best we\u2019ve produced in a long time. He\u2019s not the finished article by any means but he probably makes our best XI.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem is England are picking names who haven\u2019t performed and hoping it gets better. One bad game turns to two, two turns to three. It needs leadership and a bit of bravery to make a big decision.\u201d<\/p>\n