England-Pakistan combined current Test XI

#5 Ben Stokes

Stokes relishes the sight of a challenge with both bat and ball

Ben Stokes is shaping up to be a primitive figure in connecting the showman-like all-rounders of the yesteryears to the hard-hitting prototypes of the current generation. A genuine game-changer in all departments, he is quite a find for English cricket.

The decisiveness in his stride coupled with a tendency to embrace crucial moments sets him apart from peers such as Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Chris Woakes. The platform for a typical Stokes blitz would have been set by the non-compromising top-order while his bustling pace does not offer a let-off for opposition batsmen either.