Nasset Hussain beleives that Ben Stokes will play a key role for England in all the three formats of the game. (Source: Reuters)
England all-rounder, Ben Stokes has been receiving a lot of praise for the way he has improved his gameplay and has grown in stature as a player. Recently former England skipper Nasser Hussain heaped praise on Stokes and said that the hard work put into the nets has helped Stokes elevate his game and make him a must have in all the three formats of the game.
In a column for the Sky Sports, Hussaid, wrote, “When he initially came into England’s Test team he was a player who liked pace on the ball, getting his first three hundred at Perth, Lord’s and Cape Town. He has been working hard in the nets on dealing with pace off the ball, being able to manoeuvre the ball better and adapting his tempo, both in limited-overs and Test-match cricket.”
He added, “Stokes’ century in Rajkot over the winter was evidence of that, as was this innings at The Oval – all you can ask of a player is to keep improving and Stokes certainly is. Ben is out there working every morning, including on his bowling as he hasn’t bowled much in red-ball cricket over the last six months – he is a genuine, world-class all-rounder who balances England perfectly.”
Lauding his work ethics, Hussain said, “He is also a street fighter and someone you want to go into battle with – if it doesn’t go his way, like in the World T20 final, he will always put his hand up and ask to be put under pressure again. He’s not a shirker, he’s not a hider and he’s not someone who says: ‘That’s the way I play’. He plays the situation – and by doing that he worked England up to a very decent total of 353.”
