I’ve by no means seen Ben Stokes bowl as constantly properly as I’ve throughout this sequence.
Up to now, we now have seen him bowl some magical spells, particularly when it’s reverse swinging. There have been instances the place he has had that Botham, Flintoff or Broad really feel about him, that skill to take the ball in a key second and do one thing particular to alter a recreation.
However he can even bowl poor spells the place he can’t get his size proper, he’ll drag it down, and we see him kicking the foot holes in frustration.
In opposition to India this summer time, I can’t bear in mind him bowling a foul spell. He has been England’s greatest bowler within the sequence. He now has 16 wickets, probably the most he has taken in a sequence in his profession, and on Thursday he obtained his first five-wicket haul for eight years.
That stat might need shocked some however Stokes has primarily been the fourth seamer in some fairly good assaults, with the likes of Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Mark Wooden alongside him.
If the ball is doing a bit, it’s typically the entrance three who get the wickets. If it’s not, Stokes is usually doing the laborious donkey work. He’s the one within the enforcer function, banging it midway down when it’s flat. Why do you suppose he has had so many accidents?
Ben Stokes has been England’s greatest bowler this sequence and has not had a foul spell with the ball
I don’t suppose we discuss sufficient about how a lot Stokes strikes the ball, no one in England’s assault strikes it extra
The England captain has 16 wickets within the sequence and on Thursday he obtained his first five-wicket haul for eight years
As a fourth seamer, he’s fabulous. I don’t suppose we discuss sufficient about how a lot Stokes strikes the ball. No one in England’s assault strikes it extra. He leans huge, angles the ball in and nips it away.
Stokes has all the time had that ability. The factor with him has clearly been his health. However proper now, he seems as match as I’ve seen him.
I went to interview him in Mumbai within the spring and I’ve by no means seen him look so lean and trim. That does not come by coincidence. That’s somebody who’s within the health club, coaching and rehabbing laborious.
Anybody who has ever met Stokes is aware of he would not do something by half measure. He’s full on.
On this sequence, his spells have been getting longer and longer. I see that as somebody who could be very assured in his physique.
He’ll all the time want somebody in his ear saying, ‘Simply watch out’. We noticed at Lord’s within the first innings when bowling coach Tim Southee got here down to inform Stokes that he had bowled sufficient.
However I’m old skool and a captain is the person in cost. Stokes is the choice maker and if he, as captain, chooses to bowl himself, so be it. He is aware of his personal physique.
He stated when he turned captain that he wasn’t going to ask anybody to do one thing that he wasn’t keen to do myself. He stated he would lead by instance and he does that.
There have been a number of questions requested earlier than this sequence about why he did not go off and play for the Lions as a result of he hadn’t spent any time in center. However this sequence has proven why he didn’t. With regards to enjoying at this stage, he’ll all the time placed on a present. He doesn’t want extra cricket.
His spells have been getting longer and longer, an indication he’s very assured in his physique
This sequence has additional proved a match Ben Stokes is likely one of the nice all-rounders on the planet
All this sequence, we now have talked about what number of Assessments can Jasprit Bumrah or Jofra Archer play on their return from harm. Stokes is one other lad who’s getting back from harm however, as a result of he is captain, no one even questions whether or not he’ll play all 5 video games.
You decide a high all-rounder on whether or not he can get into the aspect as each a batter and a bowler. Even when his batting has barely fallen away of late, Stokes is usually somebody who can do this. On Thursday he joined Botham, Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis as the one gamers with 10 or extra centuries and 5 or extra five-wicket hauls in Assessments.
It was blatantly apparent earlier than a ball went down in opposition to India that England are a greater aspect with Stokes in it as a batter, bowler and fielder.
This sequence has solely additional proved {that a} match Ben Stokes is likely one of the nice all-rounders on the planet.
