Sam Curran keen to fill void in England Test team after Ben Stokes's retirement

England's fast-bowling all-rounder Sam Curran has expressed his willingness to fill the void left by Test captain Ben Stokes, who stepped away from international cricket at the conclusion of their three-match home series against New Zealand.

Following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) winners, England are in search of a new captain and are also deliberating on retaining the team balance.

While Brook is being backed to succeed Stokes as England Test captain, Curran is being seen as his like-for-like replacement despite his last appearance in the longest format dating back to 2021.

The 28-year-old, when asked about the prospects of making his return to the England Test team, told BBC Sport that he would grasp the opportunity and will try to do his best.

"Of course," Curran told the BBC. "Playing for England is amazing, and I'm a competitive guy. When I've got a ball or bat in my hand, I just try to do my best, so we'll see what happens.

"There's no doubt, with Ben Stokes retiring, there will be hype around it. He's such a legend of the game, and someone who did so well. Whoever comes in eventually to take over his spot, there will be loads of stuff on it. At the same time, I'm sure whoever comes in will do their best and try to get the focus on them [rather] than Ben."

It is pertinent to mention that England's upcoming Test assignment is a three-match home series against Pakistan, scheduled to run from August 19 to September 13.

The upcoming series is of great significance for both sides as England are placed seventh with 38 points in 13 matches, while Pakistan are languishing at the bottom with just four in four games.