It's time for some tough conversations – Stokes

BEN Stokes is ready to dish out some hard truths to England’s Test team after accepting the shine has come off his reign as captain.

- Rory Dollard

England captain Ben Stokes is left to wonder what might have been as he walks past the Ashes trophy at the end-of-series presentation after the Fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground

A comprehensive 4-1 defeat in the Ashes, on the heels of a 2-2 draw at home to India over the summer, leaves England with precious little to show for a six-month period many felt would define the era.

Significant changes were made to the team to build towards a goal that has been badly missed, with the likes of James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Jack Leach moved on in favour of fresh blood in the form of Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir.

‘The overhaul has not changed English fortunes in the way they had hoped, while the likes of Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett also faltered badly in Australia having been given generous backing.

With the 18-month countdown already on for the next home Ashes, Stokes is preparing to take a hard line.

“There are conversations you need to have with elite sportsmen when things haven’t gone too well” he said.