Stokes says decision to leave Headingley off Ashes roster 'shambolic'

LEEDS: Ben Stokes has labelled the decision not to hold a men’s Ashes Test at Headingley next year “shambolic”, after Joe Root expressed disappointment that Leeds was left off the schedule.

England thrashed Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs inside three days at Headingley on Friday, their seventh successive Test win at the ground.

It was an ideal start to Root’s second stint as Test captain after taking over the side following former skipper Stokes’s surprise international retirement.

Root said it was a “shame” his Yorkshire home ground would miss out on staging a match during the 2027 men’s Ashes.

Stokes, posting a screenshot of Root’s words, said in a social media post: “Shame is an understatement tbh. Shambolic would be more appropriate. Great win though.”

Stokes had said he was “devastated” there would be no men’s Ashes Tests in northern England next year when the schedule was first announced in 2023.

Headingley will host the one-off women’s Ashes Test.

The men’s series will visit the Rose Bowl, close to Southampton, for the first time, with Trent Bridge, Lord’s, Edgbaston and the Oval staging the other four games.

“I would love to play as many games as possible here,” Root said after England went 1-0 up in their three-Test series against Pakistan.

“It’s a great Test match venue and a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket.

“We’ve had quite a lot of success on it recently, so it’s a shame we don’t get to play here next year. I’m sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here.”