England Captain Stokes Eyes No 1 Test Ranking After Injury Return

England Test captain Ben Stokes, who has led the team since 2022, is targeting the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings, aiming to surpass Australia who currently hold the top position. Since taking over from Joe Root, Stokes has guided England from sixth to second in the rankings by winning 22 of 35 matches, including a recent rise from fifth to second following an update in the ICC table. Stokes emphasizes dominance rather than ruthlessness as the team's philosophy, seeking to instill a mindset of control in all game situations. Having recovered from a hamstring injury, Stokes returns to competitive play in a one-off Test against Zimbabwe, with major upcoming series against India at home and the Ashes in Australia. He has communicated his ambition clearly to coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, reinforcing the team's focus on climbing to the summit. Despite England’s recent rise, Stokes remains critical of the World Test Championship’s structure, which he believes unevenly rewards teams based on fixture difficulty and penalizes slow over-rates.