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Former England seamer Steve Harmison has urged Ben Stokes to miss the last two 2023 World Cup matches and return to full fitness for the Test series against India in early 2024. Harmison warned that the series in India will be a lot more difficult than the Ashes.
Stokes has been struggling with his knee, forcing him to miss the first three matches of the ongoing World Cup. The 32-year-old will undergo knee surgery after the showpiece event. He is likely to have eight weeks to recover before the marquee five-Test series.
Speaking to PA News Agency, Harmison feels it's crucial for Stokes to give himself as much time to recover, as he is the most important member in the set-up. He opined:
"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. The single most important person in that Test set-up is Ben Stokes. They need their leader and that's why he has to go home. This tour is going to be twice as hard as the Ashes given the conditions, so he's going to be more important than ever."
England have had a forgettable time in the past two Test tours of India. The Englishmen lost 4-0 in 2016 and 3-1 in 2021. However, England were also the last team to beat India in a Test series in their backyard.
"It's what is best for the England cricket team" - Steve Harmison
Harmison further underlined that someone from the management must take responsibility and order Stokes to return home. Labelling the decision as 'common sense', the 45-year-old said:
"I'm sure that conversation has been had but it needs strong leadership. It needs someone to say, 'Ben, you're going home. Here's a ticket, there's the plane, get on it'. I think Rob Key, as director of cricket, should probably take that decision and if I was (Test coach) Brendon McCullum I'd be doing everything I could to encourage him."
The former pacer added:
"I've got a good relationship with Ben and I know for a fact he won't thank me for saying this, but I'm saying it because it's what is best for the England cricket team. It's common sense."
England's five-Test series begins on January 25 in Hyderabad. Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala are the other venues.
