Michael Vaughan, the former captain of England, has drawn an unexpected parallel between the current England-India five-Test series. He claimed that Ben Stokes, the captain of England, has outperformed India’s ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in this series based on their respective performances and impacts. With just one Test match remaining, India is currently behind 1-2 in the series.
Both athletes have been battling injuries
For the past few years, Ben Stokes and Jasprit Bumrah have both struggled with their fitness. Their injuries have frequently forced them to miss time with the team, which has also prompted concerns about workload management.
Stokes dominated in bowling
Stokes has already claimed the most wickets in the series with 17, while Bumrah has taken 14 and played one fewer match. The remarkable thing is that Stokes has not bowled much in recent years, yet he bowled at full speed in this series and outperformed all the bowlers, including Bumrah.
What Michael Vaughan said
“Bumrah is the best seam bowler I have ever seen, but Stokes has outperformed him in this series,” Michael Vaughan said in his column. He is exceptional because of his back spin, distinct angle, and pitch awareness. It was incredible how he dismissed KL Rahul on the final day at Old Trafford.
Stokes’ significant contribution to the team
According to Vaughan, Ben Stokes is the most essential member of the current England squad. He added that Stokes’ influence on the team is far more than that of greats like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff. “I have observed that there are very few players who hold the team’s hopes, and Stokes is no different for this team,” Vaughan wrote.
