14 and counting: Mitchell Starc’s hold over Ben Stokes keeps tightening

Mitchell Starc's hold over Ben Stokes is on an all-time high as the England captain doesn't seem to find a way to score against the Aussie spearhead.

On day two of the ongoing fifth Test at the SCG, Stokes fell to Starc for a record-14th time in red-ball cricket. The left-arm speedster has now dismissed Stokes more than any other player in Tests, going past Ravichandran Ashwin, who had got him out 13 times.

Stokes couldn't even get off the mark on Monday as he labored to an 11-ball duck. The southpaw looked to defend a length ball around off stump but got a feather to Alex Carey. He was adjudged not out by the on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney, but the decision was overturned after the third umpire Kumar Dharamasena found a spike on snicko.

Players who have dismissed Ben Stokes the most times in Tests

Ben Stokes wants Brendon McCullum to stay on as England's head coach

Stokes has thrown his weight behind Brendon McCullum, and he wants the Kiwi to stay on as England's head coach despite a dispiriting loss in the Ashes.

“There is no doubt in my mind me and Brendon are the right people to carry on doing this for the near future," Stokes was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve worked with Brendon. I can’t see there being someone else who I could take this team [with] from where we are now to even bigger heights.

“So for us as captain and coach, when we do have the time off, we need to put our heads together and go ‘What is it that we think we need to do to go to the next level?’”

Under McCullum, the Three Lions have won 23 Tests, lost 15, and drawn a couple.