Ben Stokes faces pressure as England readies for Test against New Zealand

Ben Stokes's captaincy of the England cricket team is under scrutiny as they prepare to resume their Test campaign against New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday. Former captain Sir Andrew Strauss emphasized that Stokes must improve his batting form, having averaged just 18.40 last winter. Stokes, turning 35 on the day of the first Test, is being repositioned to number seven in the batting order, a tactical change suggested by head coach Brendon McCullum. The upcoming summer of cricket is described as 'high stakes' following England's 4-1 Ashes defeat, making performances critical for Stokes's leadership.

• 11:22 AMYahoo Sports — Ben Stokes warned his England captaincy could be on the line ahead of ‘high stakes’ Test summer