Pope has reiterated his preference for batting at number three and Stokes said England will revert to type when Smith is back in the summer.
“We will no doubt see Pope back up to three and Smudge back into his role,” said Stokes. “Last week we had a problem and we found a solution to it. We have looked back at that game and the whole team set-up looked really good.”
Stokes, with a chequered injury history of his own, pulled up midway through his fifth over on the fourth and final morning in Christchurch after experiencing discomfort in his back.
“I had a good few days’ rest,” he said. “I’ve seen the physio to make sure we are all good for this Test match. I’m fine to bowl.”
Both England and New Zealand were docked three World Test Championship points and fined 15% of their match fees for bowling their overs too slowly in Christchurch. The points penalty is one for each over they were short of the target and the fine 5% per over.
The match was over just after lunch on the fourth day. England were already out of contention to reach the final, though the punishment hits New Zealand’s slim hopes.
Stokes first wrote on Instagram “good on you ICC, finished the game with 10 hours of play still left”, then explained his frustrations go back to the 2023 Ashes, when his team were docked 19 points from the 28 they earned in that series.
“You totally understand why there is frustration from the fans,” said Stokes. “We’re not purposely bowling overs slower than the rules say. In the summer it doesn’t get dark until till half 10 in England. Why not just make it you bowl your overs out if the light is sufficient enough for us to be able to do that?”
Stokes revealed he raised points with the ICC via the match referee during the Ashes and is yet to hear from the governing body. Because he has not had a reply he has not since signed the paperwork documenting his team’s over-rate, which a captain is given at the end of each Test.
ICC rules state that sides should bowl 15 overs an hour, although if a team is bowled out inside 80 overs – as England did to New Zealand in the second innings – no penalty is imposed.
The 33-year-old pointed out it is easier to bowl overs in time in Asia, where Test matches are usually dominated by spin bowling, but not in countries where there are more overs of seam, which generally takes longer.
“I’m not the only one who shares the opinion that we would like to have a lot more communication with the ICC around this,” said Stokes.
