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Sports

Brearley wants England to manage Stokes' workload efficiently

London, Aug 28

While the Indian team management keeps talking about managing the workload of the players, former England skipper Mike Brearley has said that even English all-rounder Ben Stokes needs his workload assessed as it is impossible for him to keep bowling flat and then score runs day-in and day-out.

"Stokes needs assurances from captain and selectors that he will not be bowled too much, that he will in most conditions be the fourth seamer, not the third," Brearley who played 39 tests, wrote in a column for The Times.

"He cannot regularly bowl 20 overs a day, flat out, and regularly score six-hour centuries. He has to be encouraged to make batting his first, not his second, string."

Known for his tactical acumen, Brearley said that Stokes has been one of the England's best batsman in recent times as he has shown great consistency.

"A year ago, I said he (Stokes) was already one of England's three best batsmen, along with (Alastair) Cook and (Joe) Root. Now he is one of, at most, our two best," Brearley explained.

"I see in him no sign of internal conflict between styles of batting or priorities as to what his best contribution may be.

"A year ago I wrote ... that he could become the number three that England were looking for. He plays straight, well forward or well back. He pulls, hooks and drives with power and control... And he now builds an innings."