Ricky Ponting has warned Australia to be wary of England all-rounder Ben Stokes, ahead of next month’s Ashes series that begins with the first Test at Edgbaston on August 1.
Stokes was an absolute superstar in England’s World Cup-winning campaign, showing tremendous grit and tenacity in carving out vital innings to carry the England middle order on his shoulders. That included a match-defining performance in the final as England lifted the World Cup for the first time, after a sapping and emotional final at Lord’s.
Pointing to those performances, Ponting said that Stokes’ increased maturity makes him an even more dangerous prospect when the teams take the field for cricket’s oldest rivalry.
Ponting predicted that Stokes could similarly be England’s go-to man, calling him the “heartbeat” of the outfit. “He’s a key man, and more a key man because I think he’s that real heartbeat for their team, a bit like ‘Freddie’ Flintoff in Ashes series gone by.
“Whenever they were in trouble and they needed something, they tend to go to those sort of guys, and Australia need to keep him quiet if we’re going to win the series.
“It’s important that the Australian players don’t let him find [form] early in the series. There are certain players you know that you’ve just got to, hopefully, get on top early. Stokes is one that I think they need to make sure that he doesn’t get away from [them] and he doesn’t have much of an impact on the series.”
