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[VIDEOS] Ben Stokes - England’s best ever all-rounder? / England’s Test captain

Another achievement for Ben Stokes

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Stokes is the greatest English all-rounder of all time. He is also one of the greatest all-rounders of all time.
 
sweep_shot said:
Stokes is the greatest English all-rounder of all time. He is also one of the greatest all-rounders of all time.
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And an incredible captain / leader to add to that.

Incredible that he was such a dislikable character early on and had the embarrassment of Brathwaite hitting him out of the park in the t20 World Cup final. Not to mention the assault charges/ court appearance and hugely traumatic personal situations that were bought to life by a tabloid.

To overcome all of that, win England the ODI World Cup in the most single handed way that anyone has ever done it in my opinion, then the spectacular performance in a couple of test matches/ captaining a side that was losing everything to so many wins immediately AND winning England the t20 World Cup as well with his innings. Unbelievable.

Some cricketers are consistent and incredible like Kallis, but Stokes is a GOAT player because of his impact and story.
 
Forum363 said:
And an incredible captain / leader to add to that.

Incredible that he was such a dislikable character early on and had the embarrassment of Brathwaite hitting him out of the park in the t20 World Cup final. Not to mention the assault charges/ court appearance and hugely traumatic personal situations that were bought to life by a tabloid.

To overcome all of that, win England the ODI World Cup in the most single handed way that anyone has ever done it in my opinion, then the spectacular performance in a couple of test matches/ captaining a side that was losing everything to so many wins immediately AND winning England the t20 World Cup as well with his innings. Unbelievable.

Some cricketers are consistent and incredible like Kallis, but Stokes is a GOAT player because of his impact and story.
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Agree with you.

I believe Stokes is one of the top 3 all-rounders in 21st century (along with Kallis and Jayasuriya). I would put Stokes ahead of Kallis and Jayasuriya.
 
sweep_shot said:
Agree with you.

I believe Stokes is one of the top 3 all-rounders in 21st century (along with Kallis and Jayasuriya). I would put Stokes ahead of Kallis and Jayasuriya.
Click to expand...
Stokes is a great all rounder but not a great captain yet.
 
Not a great all rounder. He is behind Botham, Tony Greig and Flintoff in Test cricket.

He has failed to win a single test match in Australia or India despite having 3-4 tours.

He has won an ODI World Cup Final for his team all right but I don't believe greatness can be achieved via one legendary performance surrounded with several mediocre ones. What if his team didn't made to World Cup Final? He won't had a performance of lifetime.
 
Stokes has played some great innings in his career but I think he is pretty over-rated.

While useful as a fourth or fifth bowling option, Stokes is not a frontline bowler and his bowling average is relatively high for an all-rounder of his stature.
 
Ben Stokes banks on new-found pace in England bowling attack

England skipper Ben Stokes is relishing the prospect of having two out and out quicks in the starting XI for the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge.

England will have Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, both bowlers who can bowl 90mph, in their starting XI at Trent Bridge as England prepare for the post-James Anderson era.

Atkinson, who stole the limelight last week with a stellar debut, taking 12/106 in the Lord's Test, will take the new ball alongside Chris Woakes as confirmed by Stokes ahead of the Test.

Wood, meanwhile, will be the third fast bowler in an attack that also has Stokes as a pace option.

"You ask any batter in the world, whether it be Joe Root, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, pace is a massive weapon that makes you do different things," Stokes said., hinting that England are heading down a new route in this format with their bowling attack formation.

"It makes you think differently. But also there has got to be skill attached to your pace. Gus showed that last week, that he's more than just an out-and-out quick bowler, he's incredibly skilful.

"As is Mark Wood. The ability for him to be able to bowl as quickly as he does but have the control and swing as well is something that's very rare in someone who bowls that fast."

On the other hand, Anderson has been working on the wobble ball with Stokes, who showed promising signs with the ball at Lord's.

"I wish I had it last week when it was swinging," Stokes said.

"I could have nipped one back in. Everything he said to me made complete and utter sense and made it sound like the easiest thing in the world to do, but it's not."

In the West Indies camp, there are concerns around the batting after the team collapsed to 121 and 136 all out in the first Test.

West Indies coach Andre Coley believes his team will learn from the mistakes of the first Test and look to level the series this week.

But the Caribbean side have named an unchanged XI for the second Test and skipper Kraigg Brathwaite admitted that the team has to bat "a lot better" to put up a fight.

"Obviously we've got to find a way, which we've had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team," Brathwaite said.

"There are still a bit of positives with the bat. With the ball, as I said before, [England scored] 50-60 runs too many but it was a positive to get ten wickets. But with the bat, we've just got to put runs on the board. It's simple.

"A few guys did get in and didn't go on. It's just important that you go on for longer, because the longer you bat, the easier it becomes and it's important to stay in that plan for as long as possible."

ICC
 
Ben Stokes to feature in The Hundred

Ben Stokes will play in The Hundred this year, after the England Men v West Indies Men Test series is finished.

Stokes, the England Men's Test captain, missed last year's competition but will be available for four games for Andrew Flintoff's Northern Superchargers team this season.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Last 6 innings out of 7 innings from stokes are single digits, athers said. Is that the case?
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He does seem to be in general decline with the bat. Not sure if he’s got any more of his famous big hundreds in him. Maybe one more.
 
England is chasing just 82 runs to win the third Test against West Indies and clinch a series whitewash.

Ben Stokes comes ahead to open the innings.
 
FearlessRoar said:
England is chasing just 82 runs to win the third Test against West Indies and clinch a series whitewash.

Ben Stokes comes ahead to open the innings.
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Ben Stokes is taking 'BazBall' to the next level, bringing up his fifty off just 24 balls.

He smashes the fastest half-century for England in Test cricket

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Another milestone for champion Stokes. Fastest Test half-century of all time for England.
 
England captain Stokes injured in Hundred match

England Test captain Ben Stokes was carried off the field after sustaining an apparent hamstring injury while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

Stokes was batting for the Superchargers in their match with Manchester Originals at Old Trafford on Sunday when he pulled up after running a single.

England are set to begin a three-match Test series against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford on Wednesday, 21 August.

The 33-year-old Stokes was in visible pain while being attended to by physios, punching his leg in frustration.

He was ultimately carried off the field, before being wheeled into the pavilion on a gurney.


BBC
 
*England Men's Test Captain Ben Stokes Ruled Out for Remainder of the Summer*

England Men's Test Captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out for the rest of the summer after tearing his left hamstring while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred on Sunday.

As a result of the scans conducted in Leeds on Tuesday, Stokes will miss England's three-match Rothesay Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday, 21 August.

The all-rounder is aiming to return for England's winter Test tour of Pakistan, scheduled to start in early October. The tour includes three Test matches in Multan, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.
 
MI Cape Town have secured England Test captain and double white-ball World Cup winner Ben Stokes along with New Zealand’s premier swing-bowler Trent Boult for the Betway SA20 Season 3

Stokes is set to return to a happy hunting ground, Newlands, where he produced one of the greatest innings of all time when the flame-haired all-rounder struck a majestic 258 from 198 balls against the Proteas at the foot of Table Mountain.

The 33-year-old is pure box-office and is arguably the biggest global superstar in the game at the moment and his presence will not only add value to MI Cape Town but the entire League as well.

Stokes’ list of achievements are in line with a fairytale.

He incredibly took England over the line in the epic 2019 ICC Men's ODI final at Lord's, where he struck an undefeated 84 to help the host nation level the scores with New Zealand, before summoning every ounce of energy and determination to come out and bat again in the most famous Super Over of all time.

Stokes was also at the crease to strike the winning runs when England defeated Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final at the MCG three years later. It was a poignant moment in history as England became the first Men's team to simultaneously hold both ICC white-ball crowns.

www.sa20.co.za

MI Cape Town land Ben Stokes, Trent Boult signings | Betway SA20

MI Cape Town have secured England Test captain and double white-ball World Cup winner Ben Stokes along with New Zealand’s premier swing-bowler Trent Boult for the Betway SA20 Season 3. READ MORE.
www.sa20.co.za www.sa20.co.za
 
Not a lot has been debated on this, but it’s a huge blow for England and I think ticket sales to. I hope he is not out too long, but it’s fair to say his season is over? @James

For once, the PCB got it right being strict with their issue of NOC’s for The Hundred.

I love The Hundred, it brings the bowler’s back into the equation, just think it would be better as a T20 competition - with The Hundred innovations.
 
Ben Stokes speaking in an ECB video:

"I'm all good, just slowly progressing.It's still very early days in the rehab period… I want to get back as quick as I possibly can, so being around the medical team here with physio and doctors, I thought that was going to give myself the best chance of getting back sooner rather than later."
 
Ben Stokes to sign two-year England contract through to 2025-26 Ashes

Ben Stokes is set to give English cricket a major boost by signing a two-year central contract that secures his services through to the 2025-26 Ashes tour.

The England Test captain sprung a surprise last year by signing only a one-year deal despite the England and Wales Cricket Board offering multiyear contracts for the first time, with Joe Root, Mark Wood and Harry Brook all committing themselves for three years, and Ollie Pope and Jofra Archer among those signing two-year deals.

The ECB will offer fewer long-term deals this year as it has been left to count the cost of some expensive mistakes 12 months ago. Jonny Bairstow signed a two-year contract worth £800,000 a year last October but has not appeared for England in any format since the T20 World Cup in June and has little chance of a recall, leaving the ECB paying him more than £1m not to play.

Stokes’s commitment to England has never been in doubt but, given that 12 months ago he was preparing for knee surgery, he opted to keep his options open. The 33-year-old returned successfully for last winter’s tour of India and, despite missing the recent home series against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury, has proved to himself that his body can withstand the rigours of Test cricket.

Stokes will be back to lead England in the three-match Test series in Pakistan next month. The ECB is hopeful of announcing the new batch of central contracts before the players leave.

Due to the complicated nature of negotiations over the multiyear deals the ECB was not able to confirm the current contracts until halfway through England’s 50-over World Cup campaign in India last year, which multiple sources involved have confirmed was a significant distraction. Jos Buttler’s side endured a disastrous campaign in which they failed to reach the semi-finals.

Stokes’s willingness to commit for a longer period is another significant fillip for the ECB after last week’s announcement that Brendon McCullum has signed a new contract as England’s Test and white-ball coach until the end of 2027.

The New Zealander will take over the running of the limited-overs sides in January before the Champions Trophy in Pakistan the following month, with his new contract keeping him in charge for the Twenty20 World Cup in 2026 and the 50-over version the following year, as well as two Ashes series.

Stokes’ new deal will not be for that long, but indicates his closeness to McCullum and desire to continue working with him. The pair have transformed England’s Test team, who have won 19 out of 29 matches under their stewardship having won just one of the previous 17. Stokes opted out of this year’s Indian Premier League and T20 World Cup to ensure he would be fit for this summer’s Test matches, the format that remains his priority.

The ECB may offer extensions to some of those players entering the final 12 months of their existing contracts, including Pope – the vice-captain – and Archer. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Gus Atkinson also have 12 months remaining, but given they are not in huge demand from T20 franchises the ECB may not offer extended terms.

Jamie Smith is certain to be given his first central contract after impressing as a wicketkeeper-batsman this summer, while the 6ft 7in fast bowler Josh Hull is also in the frame after being selected for the Pakistan tour, but may have to settle for a development contract.

Most of the eight players whose one-year deals are expiring will not be offered new ones, as James Anderson, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan have retired, while Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson are out of favour. Jack Leach and Reece Topley are likely to be offered new one-year deals.

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/sep/14/ben-stokes-england-cricket-central-contract
 
He is more washed up than a car washer’s cloth. I’m glad he is fit for the Pakistan series. He will be an asset for Pakistan.

Can’t bowl, can’t bat, can’t run. Takes dumb decisions as captain. His presence makes England a significantly weaker team in 2024.
 
Captain Stokes to have scan ahead of Pakistan tour

Ben Stokes will have a scan on his hamstring injury next week as England wait on the captain’s fitness for the first Test in Pakistan.

The 33-year-old was hurt at the beginning of August and missed the 2-1 series defeat of Sri Lanka.

Stokes has been netting throughout his lay-off, including a long net at Durham’s Chester-le-Street last week, and has this week been playing in the Celebrity Pro-Am at the PGA Championship golf at Wentworth.

The scan is planned as part of monitoring the all-rounder’s recovery, rather than a reaction to any setback to the injury.

The first Test in the three-match series is due to begin on 7 October.

At the beginning of September, Stokes told ESPN Cricinfo he would be cautious with his return, rather than rushing back and risking further damage.

"I'd rather take an extra two weeks than run the risk of potentially doing something worse and then putting myself out of the game for longer," he said. "I'm just making sure that I'm doing everything right and everything I possibly can to try and give myself a chance to being fit for that first Test."

Despite the injury, Stokes has been named as captain of the 17-man squad which will depart on 1 October.

If Stokes is ruled out of the first Test, Ollie Pope would continue to deputise as captain. In Stokes' absence from the Sri Lanka series, England opted to cover for the all-rounder by moving wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to number six and playing an extra bowler.

The scenario of Stokes only being able to bat would potentially leave England with a selection decision.

If they were to continue with the balance they favoured against Sri Lanka, England would have to bat Stokes in the top five, therefore squeezing out one of their regular top order.

To avoid that scenario, England could revert to four frontline bowlers, supplemented by Joe Root’s off-spin, a tactic they favoured when Stokes was unable to bowl because of a knee injury in India earlier this year.

Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on the venues for the three Tests, despite England travelling in less than two weeks.

The matches were due to take place in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan, but building work in Karachi is likely to leave that stadium unavailable.

There had been speculation part of the series could be shifted to the United Arab Emirates, however it is now thought the the three Tests will take place in Pakistan. It could be that one of Rawalpindi or Multan hosts two matches.

England won 3-0 on their last visit to Pakistan in 2022, the first time a visiting team had recorded a three-test clean sweep in the country.

BBC
 
Ben Stokes hamstring scans update

England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes today underwent planned scans on the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Test series against Sri Lanka.

The results of the scans were positive and confirmed that his recovery, since sustaining the injury six-and-a-half weeks ago, remains on track to participate in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.
 
Speaking to Sky Sports on Tuesday, Stokes was asked if he was likely to be able to bowl in the first Test and said:

"I think that's you getting ahead of yourself. Obviously I've been six-and-a-half weeks now of just walking and doing stuff in the gym."

"There's a lot more than just my hamstring that I need to get back firing and working up again in terms of bowling, because you use everything, so I need to get that all right to make sure I don't do any damage to other parts of my body."

"I'm all good. I have my six-and-a-half week scan tomorrow and we'll know more from that, but I am feeling good,"

"It was a hamstring tear which sneaked into my tendon. That's why it takes a week or two longer than a normal hammy. Rehab has gone really well so hopefully everything tomorrow gets the all clear and start pushing it a bit more."
 
Zak Crawley addressed uncertainty surrounding Ben Stokes' availability during a press conference ahead of the 1st Test against Pakistan:

"We feel ready. Whatever team comes out, it will be a nice balance either way."

"We've got a really deep squad, with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well."

"He [Ben Stokes] seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury."

"We don't know just yet. I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff."
 
Mamoon said:
He is more washed up than a car washer’s cloth. I’m glad he is fit for the Pakistan series. He will be an asset for Pakistan.

Can’t bowl, can’t bat, can’t run. Takes dumb decisions as captain. His presence makes England a significantly weaker team in 2024.
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I think he’ll miss at least the first match from the noises I have been hearing.

Crawley
Duckett
Pope (c)
Root (all rounder)
Brook
Jordan Cox
Jamie Smith (wkt)
Woakes
Atkinson
Brydon Carse
Leach/Bashir

Will be quite close to the team that gets picked. Root playing as the AR helps to balance the XI in subcontinent conditions. The batting lineup looks really strong.

I’d have Crawley leading the side over Pope personally, but we know they fancy Pope as captain.
 

Stokes agrees new two-year England contract​


Ben Stokes has agreed a new two-year England central contract.

Last year, the Test captain turned down a three-year deal when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offered multi-year contracts for the first time. Stokes signed on for just 12 months.

On Saturday, Stokes confirmed his new deal will take him through to 2026, including the away Ashes in Australia next winter.

The 33-year-old has been ruled out of England’s first Test against Pakistan with a hamstring injury.

England are in the process of offering new contracts and extensions to players, who will then decide whether or not to accept them.

Some 18 players signed multi-year deals 12 months ago, so remain under contract. The ECB introduced multi-year contracts mainly to ward off interest from franchise leagues.

Stokes was one of eight players who signed on for one year and are now out of contract.

At the time, England managing director Rob Key explained Stokes was holding off on committing because a new memorandum of understanding was due to be agreed, potentially increasing the value of contracts.

The memorandum of understanding dictates the terms of contracts and is linked to the cycle of TV broadcast deals. A new broadcast cycle begins in 2025 and central contracts have been improved as a result.

Of the other seven players to sign one-year deals last year, James Anderson, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan have all retired from international cricket, and Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson have been dropped. Only Jack Leach and Reece Topley appear to be candidates for new contracts.

Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir are in line for central contracts for the first time after becoming regulars in the Test side. Jonny Bairstow still has a year left on his deal, despite not playing for England since the T20 World Cup in June.

England’s three-match series in Pakistan begins on Monday and Stokes will miss a fourth Test since injuring his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers at the beginning of August. Ollie Pope continues to deputise as captain.

England won 3-0 in Pakistan two years ago, but are without the three pace bowlers who played on that tour. Aside from Anderson and Robinson, Mark Wood is injured.

In their absence, Chris Woakes will play his first Test in Asia since 2016, Gus Atkinson will feature in his first away Test and Brydon Carse makes his Test debut.

It seems set to be a gruelling challenge for England’s seamers. Though the Multan surface looks likely to have a green tinge, the temperature will be around 36 degrees.

“There are no doubts in my mind about the bowlers we have picked,” said Stokes. “We know they will be able to withstand that heat.

“It takes character and we have a lot of characters in our dressing room who will be willing to stand up to the challenge of playing Test cricket out here.”

www.bbc.com

Ben Stokes: England Test captain agrees new two-year contract

England Test captain Ben Stokes agrees a new two-year central contract.
www.bbc.com
 
Ben Stokes doing the water boy duties today at Multan in the 1st Test against Pakistan. Are England side missing him today?
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Mamoon said:
Ruled out for the first Test. Terrible news for Pakistan.
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If he’s not fit to bowl then Stokes unbalances the team now. A specialist captain who will occasionally score a fifty. England need to be thinking about life beyond him.

I am not sure Pope is the answer but he seems to have the coach and selectors trust at the moment. Brook is VC which I think is the right call, and Crawley could be a potential candidate in the future as well.
 
Ben Stokes practice at the Multan Cricket Stadium ahead of the second Test

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Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain:

"What you gain with one mode of bowling, you lose with the other. You gain with a bit of spin early on but because it's a six-day pitch, what you're losing on is a complete lack of pace. This one has died completely.

"Even if they find the edge it isn't carrying. Stokes has thought he has to then get his catches in front of the wicket. He's got to balance it. When it started reverse swinging, a couple of knicks went and Root wasn't there.

"Stokes' captaincy is fascinating. He's got to balance that there's no pace in the pitch and I don't think it's going to carry to slip, but actually a couple have."

"It was a good plan. He got Potts to bowl outside of off stump to Saim and work on his patience. The key was the length. The previous three deliveries had been back of the length and he left them alone."

"This was the tempter. Stokes, as ever, had the right fielder - himself - in the right place. He's always been able to think outside of the box."

"Every time you give him a situation like this he manages to think his way through it."
 
His return is a massive boost for Pakistan. One of the most useless cricketers in the world at the moment.
 
Ben Stokes on showing frustration after dropped catches on day 3 of the Test against Pakistan:

"No one means to drop catches but it just proves how important catches are in these sub-continent conditions, they don't come along that often.

"I actually apologised to the group last night as it's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions and how I was feeling with the way the game unfolding show in my body language.

"I owned up to that and was very annoyed at myself for letting that out. It's something that I don't want to do or be seen to be doing so I apologised to the group about that.

"Poor old me, I was a tired grumpy old man last night! You won't see that happen again."
 
Time to retire, Ben.

England is a better team without you both tactically and physically. I know he wants to cap off his Bazball era with an Ashes win in Australia but England will get devoured if he is in the team.

It is a bridge too far for him. He is finished.
 
Mamoon said:
Time to retire, Ben.

England is a better team without you both tactically and physically. I know he wants to cap off his Bazball era with an Ashes win in Australia but England will get devoured if he is in the team.

It is a bridge too far for him. He is finished.
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You were spot on. Stokes is averaging 21 away from home with the bat since the beginning of 2023. And 27 away from home since the bazball initiation.
On top of that he is too unfit to bowl enough overs. Becoming a massive liability.

However he will still have a big role to play in the Ashes as Australia is the one team he scores meaningful runs against. England need him fit enough to bowl though.

I can't imagine Stokes being persisted with for too long after the next Ashes.
 
sindhiboy said:
You were spot on. Stokes is averaging 21 away from home with the bat since the beginning of 2023. And 27 away from home since the bazball initiation.
On top of that he is too unfit to bowl enough overs. Becoming a massive liability.

However he will still have a big role to play in the Ashes as Australia is the one team he scores meaningful runs against. England need him fit enough to bowl though.

I can't imagine Stokes being persisted with for too long after the next Ashes.
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Stokes averages 28 in Australia with the bat. He wasn’t good enough to score there even during his prime, so he has no chance this time around when he is clearly washed up.

McCullum put a hand on Anderson’s shoulder and told him he can’t make it to Australia. It is time for him to do the same with Stokes.

His presence weakens the batting and the bowling departments at the same time.
 
Last 41 Tests

Batting average 30.67

Also, only 47 Test wickets at 33.78

Been in decline even before captaincy.

Taking 1 wicket per Test and averaging only 30 with the bat - not sure he even warrants a place in the side now.
 
Stokes has been an average cricketer barring a legendary 2019.
 
Did nothing of worth remembering in Asia and Australia yet in whites.
 
Stokes ready to bowl more on 'raked' pitch

Captain Ben Stokes says he is fit enough to play a greater role with the ball after England picked three spinners on a pitch that has been "raked" for the deciding Test against Pakistan.

All-rounder Stokes bowled 10 overs in England's defeat in the second Test, his first game in more than two months following a hamstring injury.

Gus Atkinson and Stokes are the only pace bowlers in the England XI for Thursday's third Test in Rawalpindi. The tourists have recalled leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed to form a spin trio alongside Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.

"It was good to get through it," said Stokes of the second Test. "I have put myself through my paces at training, bowled two spells.

"Coming in and being one of only two seamers, I'm fully confident that I'll be able to get more out of myself this week than I did last week."

Stokes, 33, barely bowled from the spring of 2023 to the home summer of 2024 as he struggled with a long-term left knee injury.

He had surgery last November and was eventually able to return to his full role as an all-rounder until he suffered the hamstring injury playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in August.

Now, England's selection raises the prospect of Stokes opening the bowling for only the third occasion in his 106-Test career.

The last time was on the same Rawalpindi ground in 2022, when England won an epic first Test on the way to a 3-0 series win.

After England won a run-filled first Test of this series, Pakistan opted to reuse the same pitch in Multan for the second Test. Their spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan shared all 20 wickets as the hosts levelled the series.

Captain Shan Masood expressed a desire for the Rawalpindi pitch to turn, and pictures emerged on social media on Sunday of the surface being dried with industrial-sized fans, heaters and windbreaks.

Stokes had no objections to the preparation methods, but he also said it is "pretty obvious" the pitch has been raked.

"I've never been a groundsman, but you'd think a rake would assist the spin," said Stokes. "We can have a good guess which ends the Pakistan spinners will operate from.

"There's not too much grass to hold everything together. It will be interesting to see how it goes. It will be a pretty good wicket for the first couple of days, at least."

Ahmed, then aged 18, became the youngest man to play a Test for England in the final match of the series in Pakistan in 2022, marking his debut with a five-wicket haul.

The Leicestershire bowler has played three more Tests since, the last of which came against India in Rajkot in February. He has taken 18 wickets at an average of 34.5.

"Leg-spinners have an amazing ability to break a game open," said Stokes. "Having his batting ability lower down the order is also a massive bonus.

"The way Leach and Bashir have bowled has been fantastic in these first two Tests. Adding Rehan's free spirit and desperation to change the game every time he's got the ball in his hand is a massive bonus for us this week."


BBC
 
But our little brother believes that he is the best England all rounder of all-time. :ik
 
sweep_shot said:
I think he is the best English all-rounder of all time.

He won 2 world titles and he contributed in both of those finals.

He is better than Ian Botham and Flintoff.
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And also won a test match in Bangladesh. Better than Botham indeed.
 
Totally clueless vs spin. Doesn't bowl, works the 4 bowlers to the ground and on top of that his captaincy this series was abysmal.
He has been an absolute burden on the team this tour.

He is only being picked on the expectation of scoring vs Australia as he did in the Ashes.
If he is gonna be in the team, he should bat no.3 and try to play responsibly without expecting the rest of the team to compensate for his 0 contribution to the team.
 
Seems like he only ever turns up for home ashes series. The next tour down under could well be his last as captain, and possibly as a red ball player altogether.
 
sindhiboy said:
Totally clueless vs spin. Doesn't bowl, works the 4 bowlers to the ground and on top of that his captaincy this series was abysmal.
He has been an absolute burden on the team this tour.

He is only being picked on the expectation of scoring vs Australia as he did in the Ashes.
If he is gonna be in the team, he should bat no.3 and try to play responsibly without expecting the rest of the team to compensate for his 0 contribution to the team.
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He is as clueless in Australia as well. He averages 28 with the bat.
 
Stokes had the game to do well in Australia. He has not done it though.
 
Ben Stokes' return to the Test series in Pakistan yielded a remarkable team turnaround, securing a 2-1 victory. However, Stokes' individual performance was underwhelming, scoring 53 runs at 13.25 (1, 37, 12, 3) and conceding 33 runs without taking a wicket.

Consequently, Stokes slipped in the ICC Test rankings:

- Batting: Dropped from 30th to 41st, marking his first absence from the top 40 since December 2015.
- Bowling: Fell from 46th to 51st, his lowest ranking since August 2015.
- All-rounder: Slid from 9th to 12th, ending his consistent top-10 presence since December 2015.

Stokes had previously achieved notable rankings:

- Batting: Peaked at third (July 2020)
- Bowling: Reached 19th (July 2017)
- All-rounder: Held the top spot in 2021 and consistently ranked within the top five.
 
sweep_shot said:
Nope. Stokes is better.

I know current Stokes seems expired but peak Stokes was the greatest player for England.
Click to expand...
Botham Headingley 1981 & Flintoff Ashes 2005 was bigger than Stokes Headingley 2019. It changed the consequence of the series and England won it. Talking purely about test cricket. He never had a great peak in Test cricket, just two superb knocks( Capetown and Headingley) but largely a below average test career outside that.
 
Ab Fan said:
Botham Headingley 1981 & Flintoff Ashes 2005 was bigger than Stokes Headingley 2019. It changed the consequence of the series and England won it. Talking purely about test cricket. He never had a great peak in Test cricket, just two superb knocks( Capetown and Headingley) but largely a below average test career outside that.
Click to expand...

ICC trophies are far more important.

Without Stokes, England might not have won 2019 WC and 2022 World T20.

Also, who can forget Stokes's Headingly heroics?
 
Mamoon said:
Tough times for @Forum363
Click to expand...
You've spent 3 years saying he is finished because of his knee. In that time he won England a t20 World Cup, played some incredibly test innings, and took a team that your beloved Root was leading to loss after loss, to immediate victories.

Stokes is and will remain one of the all time great cricketers because of his single handed feat in bringing England an ODI World Cup, a couple of incredible ATG test performances including a crucial Ashes test, and t20 World Cup. The captaincy and leadership he's shown since taking over the test side is just the cherry on top.

Ironic that you kept praising Archer for one good series in the World Cup, and bowling rubbish after that - saying many times he's the best in the world, but hate on Stokes because he's inconsistent.

You put all the praise on McCullum for the wins but blame Stokes for the loss. You put the blame on Stokes for veteran batter Joe Root having some poor form and playing silly shots but refused to give him credit for nurturing the young players.

And now let's not even get started on the great flip flop around your overall views now that Pakistani fans had accepted their team is rubbish.

Tough times indeed. I would take Stokes over any English player in my ATG team in any format.
 
Similar to Stokes, I would also rate Gautam Gambhir above many Indian ATGs because he won ODI World Cup, T20I World Cup, test series in New Zealand via an incredible ATG performance.

His captaincy in IPL was pretty inspirational too, having won KKR IPL twice in short period from being rated as a low ranked team.
 
Ab Fan said:
Similar to Stokes, I would also rate Gautam Gambhir above many Indian ATGs because he won ODI World Cup, T20I World Cup, test series in New Zealand via an incredible ATG performance.

His captaincy in IPL was pretty inspirational too, having won KKR IPL twice in short period from being rated as a low ranked team.
Click to expand...

Stokes didn't just win the trophies but also contributed to those wins. For example, Stokes performed in finals of both 2019 WC and 2022 World T20.

Even in Test format, Stokes did pretty well. His Headingly heroics ensured England didn't lose the Ashes in that series.

Who cares about IPL? IPL is not real cricket.
 
sweep_shot said:
Stokes didn't just win the trophies but also contributed to those wins. For example, Stokes performed in finals of both 2019 WC and 2022 World T20.

Even in Test format, Stokes did pretty well. His Headingly heroics ensured England didn't lose the Ashes in that series.

Who cares about IPL? IPL is not real cricket.
Click to expand...
Gambhir also contributed to those WC wins and was difference maker.In addition, he never costed a WT20 final the way Stokes did by getting hit for 4 sixes with 20 runs to defend.

A home series which England couldn’t even win, lmao, that’s a nothing achievement. Gambhir won a test series in New Zealand with his iconic knock in Napier.
 
sweep_shot said:
Nope. Stokes is better.

I know current Stokes seems expired but peak Stokes was the greatest player for England.
Click to expand...
I think Stokes hasn't done anything in Asia despite multiple tours, failed badly in India and in Pakistan.

Also, even in Ashes in Aus he has been very average, averages 28 with bat and 41 with ball.

His numbers in Nz are also downright bad.

Even if the above is ignored and we only count his match winning knocks/performances, I don't really remember much apart from Headingley, double hundred in SA and that 100 in Aus , he has mostly been good at home.
 
Masked gang burgles England captain Stokes' home

England cricket captain Ben Stokes says a masked gang burgled his home - when his wife and two children were there - while he was in Pakistan for the recent Test series.

The 33-year-old said his family did not come to "any physical harm" but a number of "sentimental" items were taken.

Stokes posted pictures of the missing items, external, including the medal for the OBE which he received in 2020.

"By far the worst thing about this crime is that it was carried out while my wife and two young children were in the house," he said.

"Thankfully, none of my family came to any physical harm.

"Understandably, however, the experience has had an impact on their emotional and mental state.

"All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been."

Stokes, who lives in Castle Eden in County Durham, said the incident occurred on the evening of 17 October.

The following day, England were beaten by Pakistan in the second Test, with Stokes dismissed for 37.

He returned to the UK after the conclusion of last week's third Test, which England lost by nine wickets as Pakistan took the series 2-1.

"I am releasing photographs of some of the stolen items - which I hope may be easily identified - in the hope that we can find the people who are responsible for this," added Stokes.

"Although we have lost cherished possessions, to be clear, my sole motivation in sharing these photographs is not the recovery of material items. It is to catch the people who did this.

"They escaped with jewellery, other valuables and a good deal of personal items. Many of those items have real sentimental value for me and my family. They are irreplaceable.

"This is an appeal for any help in finding these people who carried out this act."

As well as the medal, Stokes posted pictures of three necklaces, a ring and a designer bag.

He encouraged anyone with information to call Durham Constabulary on 101 quoting crime reference CRI00575927.

www.bbc.co.uk

Ben Stokes: England captain's house targeted by masked gang

England cricket captain Ben Stokes says a masked gang burgled his home - when his wife and two children were there - while he was in Pakistan for the recent Test series.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
Ab Fan said:
Gambhir also contributed to those WC wins and was difference maker.In addition, he never costed a WT20 final the way Stokes did by getting hit for 4 sixes with 20 runs to defend.

A home series which England couldn’t even win, lmao, that’s a nothing achievement. Gambhir won a test series in New Zealand with his iconic knock in Napier.
Click to expand...
Theres a difference between contributing and almost single handedly taking a team over the line.

Stokes' innings during the 2019 World Cup final was insane. As was the partnership with Leach in the ashes test. And England would have collapsed against pakistan in the t20 final if it wasnt for Stokes.

But agree on the sentiment of Gambhir being better than his record because of his contribution to key wins.

It's why Fakhar's century against India in CT 17 will always stay in the memory of fans. Doing something which brings silverware to your country under the highest pressure when the team is down and out will always leave a lasting impression. To do it multiple times across formats is what makes Stokes a champion cricketer.
 
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