WE NEED BEN MORE THAN EVER

Stokes has greater influence on team than he did four years ago

-  DEAN WILSON

ENGLAND need to get Ben Stokes back in action as soon as possible because he is more influential now than he was four years ago.

That is the verdict of World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan, who was delighted to hear of Stokes' improved performance and movement in the nets yesterday in Dharamshala.

Skipper Jos Buttler said he was making good progress and challenging himself more each day And after batting gingerly for half an hour on Sunday he performed far more fluently the next day for 45 minutes before exiting the net, commenting: "It's hot work, too hot.