"Stokes has out-bowled him in this series" - Ex-captain's huge Jasprit Bumrah comparison after ENG vs IND 4th Test 2025

Former England captain Michael Vaughan drew a massive comparison between Ben Stokes with Jasprit Bumrah following the fifth Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester. While Vaughan claimed that Bumrah is the best seamer he has seen but Stokes has managed to outbowl him too.

With 17 wickets in eight innings at 25.23 apiece, the England captain is the leading wicket-taker in the series, while Bumrah stands second with 14. The 34-year-old has increased his bowling workload massively in this series, sending down 140 overs. The Manchester Test saw the veteran picking up his first Test fifer in eight years, but questions over his fitness remain.

In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan heaped praise on the all-rounder. He stated that his ability to create an awkward angle and hit the sore spots on the pitch pinpoint makes it harder for batters, writing:

"He does things no-one else can. I think Jasprit Bumrah is the greatest seamer I’ve seen. Well, Stokes has out-bowled him in this series and been better than anyone else. He gets back-spin, has an awkward angle, and a great ability to know exactly how to bowl on a surface, and hit the one spot on the pitch that can cause trouble, as he did to KL Rahul on the final day against India at Old Trafford."

The 50-year-old also wrote that he cannot remember a player quite like the Durham cricketer, who is as important to England's overall balance, adding:

"There have been teams in the past who have been very reliant on individuals. Ian Botham, of course. When I was captain I had Andrew Flintoff. But having worked his way back to fitness with the ball and finding form with the bat, not to mention his captaincy, I cannot remember an individual as vital to a team’s hopes as Stokes is to this England team."

The England skipper didn't bowl on Day 4 and came to perform the role on the final day. However, he was consistently holding on to his shoulder and arm, signalling the strain the bowling workloads have had on him over the series.

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"He’s taped up and drugged up" - Michael Vaughan on Ben Stokes

Michael Vaughan. (Image Credits: Getty)

Vaughan went on to raise concerns about England's bowling line-up when Stokes was out of the attack. He claimed that the skipper had to bowl at least more than 12 overs to prevent India from drawing the Test. He added:

"The trouble is that Stokes’s body is in bits. He’s taped up and drugged up. In this series, he’s been clutching his groin, hamstring, calf, shoulder, and he’s had long-term knee issues. Stokes bowled a brilliant spell first thing on day five, but only one other four-over spell in the innings. When he was out of the attack, England did not look like they had the weapons to take wickets on a flat pitch. Had he been able to bowl more than 12 of the 150-odd overs, I have no doubt England would have won."

To add to his 24 overs in the first innings, the star cricketer sent down 11 in the second. However, England failed to force a win as centuries from Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar ensured a draw.