Ben Stokes is the best allrounder by country mile, reckons Kris Srikkanth
On Sunday, Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has reckoned that Ben Stokes is the best allrounder in the world cricket by a huge margin. He further added that Stokes should not yet be compared with great former allrounders but he has in him to be considered one of the bests when he is done.
2019 was a dream year for Ben Stokes, which started with him becoming the man of the match in the World Cup final to a historic chase in the Ashes and ended with the honour of ICC cricketer of the year. Recently, Stokes pulled out from the series against Pakistan to be with his father, who is battling with cancer in New Zealand. However, Stokes is expected to play for the Steve Smith-led Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020, which is set to kick off from September 19 in the UAE.Â
Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth stated that he cannot wait to see England's 2019 World Cup title-winning star Ben Stokes in action in the upcoming IPL. He praised Stokes for his growth as a cricketer and further asserted that he is the best allrounder in the world right now, given his domination in all the three formats.Â
"Personally, I would have loved to see Ben Stokes in action. For someone who started as a bowler who could bat lower down, his progress to the top-order and his attitude at the crease is refreshing. To me he is the best allrounder in business by a country mile. That Stokes dominates in all three formats underlines his greatness," Srikkanth wrote in his column for The Times of India.
Srikkanth pointed out that Stokes should not yet be compared with the former great allrounders, but added that he has the potential in him to be one of the greatest allrounders of all time.Â
"Not yet to be compared with the great allrounders of the past, Stokes has it in him to be counted as one of the best ever when he is done. The manner in which he shepherded the chase in the World Cup final or in the Test against Australia last season, Stokes also showed how strong he is mentally," the former cricketer said.
The star all-rounder, who would be donning the Rajasthan jersey for the third season, has played 34 IPL matches so far and scored 635 runs at an average of 22.67. He also has 26 wickets to his name in the cash-rich league. Srikkanth reckoned that Stokes cannot be measured just in numbers and his contribution is much more than that.Â
"As a bowler, Stokes is an honest trier and on the field he is simply electric. The balance he provides his team cannot be measured in mere numbers. At a time when the world is not seeing many quality allrounders, Stokes is a breath of fresh air. I can’t wait to see him in action in the upcoming IPL," Srikkanth said.