A week almost passed after the late night brawl fight video from Bristol was released in social media. As Michael Vaughan said, the PR was so poor that they neither kept it under the carpet nor tried to help Ben Stokes. The superstar all-rounder arguably the best in the business, the amount he got sold in IPL reiterates the same fact. An explosive batsman, a very good advert how to reverse the ball and a gun fielder all in one. A rare species in cricket world: a genuine bloody good all-rounder.
Timeline of Events in Ben’s Life
- February 2013 – Stokes ignores a warning for late night drinking, gets packed off from the Australian shores during the England Lions tour.
- March 2014 – Touring West Indies, he punctures the locker in frustration and gets his hand fractured missing World T20 2014 edition.
- April 2015 – Has a serious verbal spat giving a mouthful, after Marlon Samuels gives him a famous satirical commander salute send-off in West Indies.
- October 2016 – Stokes’s heat verbal exchanges against Sabbir Rahman in Bangladesh resulting him getting fined and also a demerit point.
- November 2016 – Gets officially reprimanded for giving a send-off to Virat Kohli in India.
- August 2017 – Reprimanded again for using foul language towards Referee while playing against West Indies in England.
- September 2017 – Taken into custody after punching a man continuously in Bristol after a late night drink along with fellow cricketer Alex Hales.
Who is Ben Stokes?
Ben Stokes is a player whom the entire world wants to have in their team. He is such an asset since he is a game changer on his own in all the three aspects of the game.
It’s very rare to see such a player in the mould of Sobers, Botham, Kapil Dev, Imran, Hadlee, Kallis and Flintoff in the list of legendary seam bowling allrounders.
He is definitely up there with them in the skill set, does he have it in time to repeat time and again?
Being such a fiery and volatile personality, if nurtured well, England and he himself could reap a lot out of him. If not, could be devastating and tumultuous for the entire dressing room as once Kevin Pietersen was. Take for instance, David Warner he was on the wrong side after punching Joe root years back. Once he got the kick in the back from Cricket Australia, he has used the same personality in a positive and productive way. The best example with similar personality and a superstar status is Virat Kohli, a legend already in his own right. He uses his fiery and volatile nature to his advantage to bring out stellar performances. Ben must learn from these two world beaters and keep us engaged in the years to come. He is a crowd puller and a box-office entertainer more than Virat and Warner. The reason simply is because he contributes in all the three aspects of the game more so than them.
Time is ticking – Buckle up Ben!
Already being thrown out of Ashes squad, with a list of reprimands, how long can u be irresponsible Ben? Fragments of reports say that, he stood up for a homophobic cause, we could all respect that but damn you are a public figure! We expect some kind of maturity and ownership to uphold the spirit and respect for the game of cricket, as you are a global superstar. Young kids admire and aspire to be you one day, keep yourself in check in this digital age where everyone is a media by themselves. Take a leaf out of the book from the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, 24 long years, his adulation and superstar status can never be matched. He is a true ambassador for the game never has let the country or the game down in anyway.
An honest ode to Ben – Your Fan
Finally, as a true cricket lover and a person who love watching you Ben, showcase yourself in the cricket field with all your skills. There are very few cricketers who command respect and you would love to pay to watch them on field. You are one such maverick, bloody talented, extremely skilled who could be genuinely an all-time great. Want to see you soon in action Ben!
Come back hale and healthy Mr. Benjamin Andrew Stokes!
We love your madness and your fire brand cricket!
