An allrounder in cricket is worth his weight in gold. He brings balance to the side and that balance itself often helps to convert a good team into an excellent one.
Cricket at one time was blessed to have four top all rounders at once, namely Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee. However after that there were no genuine pace bowling allrounders for a long time, with Jacques Kallis and Freddy Flintoff being honourable exceptions.
Hence when Ben Stokes burst onto the cricketing scene a few years back there was quite a bit of interest. Yes, we had in the cricketing world several players like Shakib Hasan, Ravi Ashwin and Moeen Ali who could, with some justification, claim to be spinning allrounders. However there were no fast bowling allrounders around.
Stokes quickly showed that he belonged to the tough world of Test cricket. He underlined his importance to the English team with more ways than one. As a batsman only, he can probably walk into any Test team in the world. More importantly, he had the ability to take his team out of trouble and in tight matches, that often made the difference between defeat and victory.
Let us quickly run through a few of his important achievements in Test cricket. In his very first Ashes series, he was part of an English side lost 5-0 in 2013-14. However Stokes held his own and in only his second Test match scored a fighting century.
He also had a 6/99 in his fourth Test claiming some important Aussie wickets. He was probably the only player who could hold his head high in that series debacle and was the second highest wicket taker and third highest scoring batsman.
(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Later on in career, at Lord’s versus New Zealand, Stokes hit a first innings 92 and a 85-ball hundred in the second innings, which was the fastest ever Test century at Lord’s. His crucial 52 and 43 helped England take a 1-0 lead in the 2015 Ashes. In the fourth Test of the series his 6/36 helped England win the series and regain the Ashes.
At Cape Town, South Africa, he came to the side with England struggling at 166/4 but blasted his way to 258. The 200 came in 167 balls and was the second fastest 200 of all time. Later he bettered his 6/36 by taking a 6/22 versus West Indies.
Stokes often contributes when the team needs him to. So far, he has six Test tons, three in England and one each in Australia, South Africa and India. He has four Test Five-wicket hauls, one each at Australia and India and two in England.
His importance indeed is in his ability to come in and bat boldly when his team is struggling. While his bowling is less valuable he has the ability to pick up crucial wickets. As a fielder, he takes stunning catches. And, like Freddie Flintoff, his presence itself helps his teammates to do better.
Currently, the English team touring Australia fought hard in the first three days of the first Test but then it all went horribly wrong for them and Australia emerged winners. Here, Stokes would have been invaluable.
There is still mystery whether Stokes will make a dramatic return to the team. He is not there due to non-cricketing reasons, for being involved in a brawl outside a nightclub in which he is facing police investigation.
Stokes has in the meantime flown to New Zealand to play for Canterbury on Sunday, third December, while his English teammates will be fighting with the Aussies in the second Test starting on second December. It is unclear how the ECB has suspended him for international duty but has given him the okay to play domestic cricket overseas.
Hence if at all Stokes returns dramatically, it will be only for the third Test. One thing is sure, his batting, his bowling and his defiant spirit all will be missed and if England loses the second Test, clamours for his return will rise further.
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