Ashes 2023: Is Ben Stokes new captain cool? AB de Villiers answers

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers lauded England captain Ben Stokes for his captaincy in the ongoing Ashes 2023. The 39-year-old credited the all-rounder for not losing his cool in the first three Tests, despite going 0-2 down after the first two matches.

As far as the batting is concerned, Stokes is the second-highest scorer in Ashes 2023, only behind Usman Khawaja (356 runs). The left-handed batter has amassed 309 in three Tests at an average of 51.50, including 155 in the fourth innings at Lord’s that came in a losing cause.

With the ball, Stokes scalped three wickets in the first two Tests. He didn’t bowl in Headingley Test, where the hosts won by three wickets.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers spoke of Ben Stokes:

“He’s [Ben Stokes] an incredible cricket player. He’s got a really sharp cricket brain. We watched him in the last Test match, and how calm he was, actually all the Test matches.”

He continued:

“If you lose the first two Test matches in five Test match series is very nerve-wracking, and he was always just calm, especially after losing in that second one. So close, small margins, and arrived in the third Test match, and he looked free. He looked light on his feet, looked sharp.”

Former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock, meanwhile, hailed England for sticking to the Bazball approach despite playing World Test Champions Australia. The 49-year-old told AB de Villiers:

“It was always going to be a litmus Test for Bazball to see whether they could continue to play a similar brand and still be successful against one of the better sides or probably the best Test side. That is around after they [Australia] won the Test championship. I am impressed by what I’ve seen.”

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“They haven’t been able to dominate, tactics have been used” – Shaun Pollock lauds Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins

Shaun Pollock further lauded England captain Ben Stokes and Australian skipper Pat Cummins for keeping quality batters like Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Root quiet throughout the series. He said:

“Batting-wise, guys would be hoping to get bigger scores. Likes of Root, Labuschagne, and obviously Steve Smith, they would’ve been hoping to get some really big hundreds. The fact that they haven’t been able to dominate, tactics have been used.”

Interestingly, Root has amassed 232 runs in three Tests, including 118*at Edgbaston, while Smith has scored 190 runs in as many Tests, including 110 in Lord’s Test. Labuschagne, on the other hand, has, so far, managed to score just 144 runs at an average of 24.

One of the more popular tactics to have been used by both teams so far is the use of short balls. Aussie quicks, in particular, have countered England batters' Bazball approach with short-pitched deliveries, challenging the hosts to take on the short ball with aggressive shots. It has yielded several wickets throughout the series so far.