Ben Stokes named vice-captain as Jofra Archer makes England’s Ashes squad

England may have one Test debutant at Edgbaston and they will certainly have a different vice-captain. The selection of Jofra Archer in a 14-man squad is no great surprise but amid the recent whirl of activity the return of Ben Stokes as Joe Root’s deputy had not been signposted.

Birmingham becomes the venue of the Redemption Test. If Cameron Bancroft, who brought his baggy green cap to England after signing up for Durham – “to act as motivation for a Test recall” – joins Steve Smith and David Warner in Australia’s Test team, the sandpaper trio of Cape Town will be reunited in white at the earliest opportunity. Meanwhile Stokes, stripped of the vice-captaincy after the Bristol incident of September 2017, has his stripes back, which means that Jos Buttler stands down.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said:“Colin Graves, the chairman, has approved the reappointment of Ben Stokes as Test vice-captain following the recommendation from managing director of England’s men’s cricket, Ashley Giles, and chief executive, Tom Harrison.”

This reflects quite a change of heart among the top administrators. So they are capable of changing their minds.

Stokes had a brilliant World Cup, not only in terms of runs, wickets and catches but also as a leader of the side on and off the field. There has always been the notion that the more responsibility he has the better he plays. In essence Stokes’s return to the vice-captaincy suggests his rehabilitation is complete.

It is highly unlikely that Buttler, a close friend and training partner of Stokes, will be slighted by this move. He has been the vice-captain in both forms of the game recently and, while this is an indication of his standing in the team, it is not the most rewarding of roles. There is every chance that Buttler will be chosen to take on Eoin Morgan’s position as one-day captain in white-ball cricket. That will keep him busy enough and his input to the think tank on and off the field will not diminish.

The national selector, Ed Smith, did not comment on the change of vice-captain but he explained why so many players will be at Edgbaston from Monday onwards. “Though it is unusual to select a squad of 14 for a home Test there are compelling reasons to do so here. Several bowlers are recovering from injuries or niggles. In addition some bowlers who played in the World Cup are being closely monitored to assess their preparation for Test match cricket.

“The wider circumstances – a successful home World Cup campaign followed so quickly by a home Ashes series – are unprecedented. It feels sensible to select an expanded squad and leave a number of bowling options for the final team selection.”

Those assessments will focus primarily on Archer, who returned from Barbados last Wednesday after some zealous recuperation before playing for Sussex in the T20 Blast on Friday night. If England crave some extra pace in their attack they will end up choosing between Archer and Olly Stone, who made a good impression against Ireland. The strong expectation is that Jimmy Anderson will be fully fit after his calf injury. By Thursday morning England will find themselves in the unusual position of omitting three pace bowlers from their squad.

They have already left out their highest run-scorer in the match against Ireland, Jack Leach, though as he is not part of Somerset’s Blast squad he will stay with England during preparations for the Test.

Leach was heroic at Lord’s, the man of the match, and he may well have saved England from their greatest Test ignominy, but even he would not begin to suggest he could replicate that innings, especially against the extra pace of Australia, who can boast four genuine fast bowlers plus the experienced Peter Siddle and Michael Neser. The Australians will also have to agonise over which trio to omit at Edgbaston.