Ben Stokes claims the standard of international cricket is suffering from the sport’s packed schedule

Ben Stokes vowed to maintain Test cricket’s status as the most important form of the game in an increasingly crowded schedule.

The England captain, who has moved alongside Test team coach Brendon McCullum, promised Ian Botham that he will continue his mission to make every day of Test cricket full of entertainment.

England’s two greatest all-rounders were brought together on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where Guest Editor Lord Botham said: If we lose Test cricket, we lose the game as we know it.

Ben Stokes retired from one-day internationals this year due to a “sustainable schedule”.

He found a similar spirit in Stokes, who has made it his mission not only to make England the No. 1 Test team in the world, but to revolutionize the old format globally to preserve its appeal for the next generation.

“Over the last few years I’ve heard Test cricket being talked about in a way that I don’t like,” Stokes said, fresh from leading England to a 3-0 win in Pakistan that extended their run under him to nine wins in 10 games.

It has lost focus on that with all the new formats. We understand that players have so many opportunities to search. But for me Test cricket is very important to this game and it always should be. I really love playing cricket and I just felt that we could do something different as a team.

Stokes played a key role in England’s victory in the 2019 Under-50 World Cup

If people turn up and are really excited about the cricket they’re going to watch, I feel like you’ve already won before you’ve even bowled a ball. We know that we have a special opportunity to do something bigger than ourselves.

The problem for Stokes is the ever-increasing number of white-ball cricket, which is seeing more and more franchise leagues compete with the international game, forcing first-class cricket to the margins and threatening the future of Tests.

Stokes wants the schedule to be revised urgently and highlighted England’s three-match 50-run series against Australia, which quickly followed Jos Buttlers white-ball victory in the Twenty20 World Cup, as a series that had no significance.

Stokes was selected to captain the England Test squad for the 3-0 series whitewash of Pakistan this month

Schedules don’t get enough attention, said Stokes, who quit one-day international cricket last year because playing it in all formats was unsustainable. Some say you play in England, that should be enough, but there’s a lot more to consider.

You want international cricket to be of the highest standard, but we’ve seen a lot of different teams being picked and players being rested. This is not how international cricket should go.

Stokes also reflected on the break he took from playing last year to protect his mental health. I felt certain and I had to take a break, she said. I felt I needed help to get me back to where I am now.

The England captain believes his team’s approach will once again excite fans of the Test format