Stokes would relish third seamer role

Ben Stokes is ready to take on greater responsibility with the ball if that is the role handed to him for the Test matches against Pakistan in the UAE.

England will spend the first two weeks of the tour - which includes two two-day warm-up matches in Sharjah - fine-tuning the make-up of their side for the first Test in Abu Dhabi, beginning on October 13, and some of the decisions they face are not simple.

Alastair Cook lauded England's adaptability as the team travelled to the UAE, pinpointing the phalanx of allrounders at his disposal. Stokes is central to that, along with Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Samit Patel while Joe Root's offspin could also see greater service on this trip.

Although the prevailing feeling is that Moeen is favourite to open the batting ahead of Alex Hales, which could pave the way for a six-man bowling attack including four quicks, there remains a chance that England could go with three fast men, which would bring Stokes' all-round role even more to the forefront of the team. In his 16-Test career to date he has only ever been one of four fast bowlers.

"There will be a lot more responsibility on me when I come on to bowl," Stokes told ESPNcricinfo. "I might not bowl as much as I have in the summer, because it's more friendly to spinners out there, but when I do get the ball I'll have to realise how much expectation there is on me as a third seamer because it's hot, hard conditions to be a seam bowler in the UAE. I like added responsibility and think it brings the best out of my cricket."

Stokes began the last English summer in dramatic style with an all-round display against New Zealand at Lord's that went down as one of England's finest. He scored 92 on the opening day after England were tottering on 30 for 4, then struck the fastest hundred on the ground in the second innings, before a thrilling burst with the ball on the final day when he removed the lynchpin pair of Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum in consecutive deliveries.

His next four Tests only brought three wickets before he produced a dramatic display in the second innings at Trent Bridge, claiming 6 for 36 to help England secure the Ashes in barely more than two days. The eye-catching feature of that performance was the prodigious swing, and though it was conventional movement on that day Stokes is also capable of reversing the ball when conditions allow, which is something that could come into play on this tour.

"We do a lot of work with reverse swing leading up to tours where it can reverse so we will probably be doing quite a lot of work on that leading up to the Test series. Most of us know the characteristics and skills of reverse swing."

For Stokes, this will be his first taste of Test cricket against Asian opposition in their conditions and even though the prospect of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel looms over Christmas and New Year he believes the first phase of England's overseas travels will be the most daunting.

"We've had two series at home in our conditions which we all know, so the big thing for us is we are going to play in foreign conditions," he said. "UAE will be the most challenging one, last time we didn't do very well, but you want to test yourself against the best in the world in the hardest conditions."