Why Ben Stokes Warrants a Place in the England T20I Team

Ben Stokes is a hero in England. From winning the World Cup in 2019, to his Headingly epic along with how he helped turn England’s fortunes around in Test Cricket with a beautiful summer as captain, Ben Stokes has achieved a lot. The T20 format though, has not been too kind to him. For all his exploits, he is still remembered for those four sixes Carlos Brathwaite hit off him. In 30 games he has an average of 19, and a bowling average of 37. His numbers are underwhelming, but there is a variety of factors for his poor numbers.

For starters, the skillset he offers makes him a valuable asset. He can bat with responsibility. His aggressive game is among the best in the England Cricket team, and he can bowl complete spells with the ball if needed. With the ball, he is among the fastest bowlers in England, with a variety of deliveries in his armoury. The four sixes in 2016 off his bowling may not highlight his bowling much in the format, but he has developed a really good yorker, and slower ball over time.

His fielding is also one of the best, as he can pull of eye catching catches and saves with ease as he did against Australia recently. Additionally, he is one of the most influential players on the team. His success in ODI Cricket and as a Test captain demands a lot of respect. He is probably the best in the country, and with his heroics and experience it is really tough to look a way from him.

In T20 Cricket though, his batting is yet to find a proper use. He has been shuffled around the batting line-up a lot over the years, making it a challenge for him to find a stable position. Through his career he has normally been used from number five to number seven. A week away from the World Cup, England are still looking for a proper role for him with the bat. They tried finding an answer putting him in the top four during the Australia series. Playing T20 Cricket after a long gap though, Ben Stokes struggled. He finished with 17 runs in 20 balls. His fielding was good, and he bowled pretty well too. Additionally, with the ball, Ben Stokes took up a new role, bowling with the new-ball.

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His batting though continues to create concerns. On his day, he can launch an assault with ease. However, if Ben Stokes is to take some time before launching, there could be additional pressure on Dawid Malan. Dawid Malan is not the most explosive batter, but with him at three, he may have to bat at a faster pace to allow Ben Stokes to settle in and find his touch before going big. The idea worked well in the second T20 with Dawid Malan pacing his innings well, but Ben Stokes couldn’t follow up as he was dismissed early.

With Ben Stokes struggling with the bat, England may want to give him some more time out in the middle. The idea of dropping Ben Stokes from the World Cup playing XI is absurd. However, with Liam Livingstone coming back and Sam Curran showing promising growth, England are going to have some challenging calls to make. Sam Curran was not in the picture earlier, but he is now making himself undroppable. Offering a similar set to Ben Stokes, Curran’s rise is tough to ignore now.

Ben Stokes though remains a walk in. His fielding and bowling are enough to pick himself in the eleven. His batting is a proven ability, but needs some success to back him up in the upcoming games. Furthermore, Ben Stokes is a proven big match player. He is a champion and loves the heat of the battle. With some really big games coming up, it will be interesting to see how he steps up. He loves the big stage, and despite his numbers, Ben Stokes could make a huge impact come the World Cup. His ability as a T20 batter may be debatable. Jos Buttle though will surely want Ben Stokes by his side, given the other skills he offers, his loyalty, and the promise he provides.