All of which brings us to the potential ace in the pack - Sam Curran. The boy is five from five in an England Test match shirt. What's not to like? He bats calm and smart against all-comers but especially appears to understand spin, bowls fully pitched wicket-taking balls, and has the beating heart of a lion cub. He is the balance, and in addition, he takes some of the bowling strain off Stokes.
No seamer, or swing bowler we should say, has been more effective in these parts than Chaminda Vaas. He was no great pace but he was a great brain and a subtle changer of pace, angles and movement.
So, to the magic trick. The talk at No. 3 has been of Joe Denly or Moeen Wholesale Cigarettes Online, but it's a big ask of the former and an unnecessary ask of the latter. Have Stokes at 3. He is England's next best after Root anyway and has a better chance of getting settled against the newer ball than when the spinners have taken hold and the ball is softening. Stokes has got it all, which includes organised defence, every form of attack, and above all, tremendous desire and resilience. His bowling is the joker - think racehorse not donkey - to be played when the stars are aligned but not so often otherwise. Stokes at three can be a long-term solution to a perennial problem. When Jonny Bairstow returns, England will still have the enviable middle-order strength they crave. From this distance it's a no-brainer, as long as Stokes himself is up for it. The move to No. 3 needs encouragement, not a command. Ask Root himself.