New Delhi: Former England captain Michael Vaughan has made a surprising comparison between the ongoing five-Test series between India and England.
Comparing the performance and impact of England captain Ben Stokes and India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, he said that Stokes has also surpassed Bumrah in this series. India is currently trailing 1-2 in the series and now only one Test match is left.
Both players have been struggling with injuries
Both Ben Stokes and Jasprit Bumrah have been facing fitness problems for the last few years. Many times they have had to stay out of the team due to their injuries, which has also raised questions on workload management. While Stokes has been playing throughout the series, Bumrah was rested from the Edgbaston Test in view of the workload.
Stokes dominated in bowling
While Bumrah has played one match less and has taken 14 wickets so far, Stokes has taken the most 17 wickets in the series so far. The special thing is that Stokes has not bowled much in recent years, yet he bowled at full speed in this series and performed better than all the bowlers including Bumrah.
Michael Vaughan’s comment
Michael Vaughan wrote in his column, “Bumrah is the greatest seam bowler I have seen, but Stokes has surpassed him in this series. He has back spin, unique angle and understanding of the pitch, which makes him special. The way he dismissed KL Rahul on the last day at Old Trafford was amazing.”
Stokes’ important role in the team
Vaughan described Stokes as the most essential player in the current England team. Comparing him with legends like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff, he said that Stokes’ impact on the team is much more than them. “I have seen only a few players on whom the hopes of the entire team rest, and Stokes is the same for this team,” Vaughan wrote.