In a stunning display of praise, former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has compared England captain Ben Stokes‘ match-winning capabilities to the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Ponting lauded Stokes for his ability to thrive under pressure and lead his team to victory, much like Dhoni did during his illustrious career.
Stokes once again showcased his remarkable talent by almost single-handedly steering England to a series-leveling win in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. His outstanding knock of 155 runs off 214 balls left a lasting impression on Ponting, who had previously witnessed Stokes’s heroics in the 2019 Ashes, where he played a pivotal role in England’s one-wicket triumph at Leeds with an unbeaten 135.
Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting admitted that Stokes’s previous match-winning innings at Headingley in 2019 was firmly etched in his memory. The former Australian captain expressed relief when Australia finally dismissed the dangerous England talisman for 155 runs in the recent Lord’s Test.
While discussing Stokes’s impact, Ponting drew a comparison to the indomitable Dhoni, who was known for his calm and composed demeanor in pressure situations. Ponting highlighted the rarity of players who consistently find themselves in the position to clinch victories, particularly as captains, and emphasized that Stokes’s performances in Test matches set him apart.
“I thought and everyone probably thought he could do it again because we’ve seen it happen before, but this was probably, slightly more runs that they were chasing (in 2019),” said Ponting.
“The first one that comes to mind is maybe someone like a Dhoni, who’s there at the end in a lot of T20 games, and finishing games, whereas Ben’s doing it at the end of Test matches, and there’s not, probably not many, many players through the history of the game that have found themselves in that sort of role and are there at the end winning games, and especially as a captain,” he added.
Ponting’s comparison highlights the immense respect and admiration that Stokes has garnered within the cricketing fraternity. With his exceptional abilities to influence the outcome of matches, Stokes continues to etch his name among the elite performers of the game. Trailing 2-0 behind in the ongoing Ashes, it would be interesting to see how Stokes-led English side will respond in the third Test.
