Ben Stokes is the heartbeat of the English team, opines Ricky Ponting

Having attained iconic status in England following his man of the match performance in the final that led his country to its maiden World Cup title, praise for Ben Stokes has been on everyone’s lips. Not only has the 28-year-old developed as a cricketer to emerge as one of the team’s most influential players, but he has also evolved into a responsible person from his brazen younger self.

“It seems like he’s playing with a lot of maturity. He doesn’t seem like he’s in much of a rush now as he might have been. The thing about his personality as well, he’s a big, strong, brash guy with a bit of an ego ... and I think as a younger person probably everything was flat out - one speed,” the Hindustan Times reported Ricky Ponting saying to cricket.com.au.

Stokes had to miss the 2017-18 Ashes series after being involved in a bar fight that had him entangled in a consequent court case. However, he has since made amends of the second opportunity he got and come across as a respectful cricketer who knows how to shoulder the team's burden. 

“To me, [during the World Cup] it seems like he able to understand situations and play situations accordingly. That’s a bit of maturity and understanding his own game and understanding what his team needs him to do,” Ponting added.

The former test vice-captain scored 465 runs and took seven wickets to lead his team to world glory and will be looking to replicate the form in the longest format of the game. He has 3,000-plus runs and an impressive 137 wickets in 52 test caps to his name.

“He’s a key man and more a key man because I think he’s that real heartbeat for their team, a bit like ‘Freddie’ Flintoff in Ashes series gone by - whenever they were in trouble and they needed something, they tend to go to those sort of guys, and Australia need to keep him quiet if we’re going to win the series,” Ponting said.

The much awaited historic series between arch rivals England and Australia is scheduled to begin from August the third and visitors Australia will be looking to retain the trophy.

“I think it’s important that the Australian players don’t let him find (form) early in the series. There are certain players you know that you’ve just got to hopefully get on top early. Stokes is one that I think they need to make sure that he doesn’t get away from (them) - and he doesn’t have much of an impact on the series,” Ponting concluded.