Australia great Ricky Ponting has likened Ben Stokes’ match-winning abilities to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s on-field demeanour, saying the England skipper is far ahead of his contemporaries in pressure situations just like the Indian legend used to be.

Stokes almost single-handedly carried England to a series-levelling win, scoring 155 off 214 balls at Lord’s.

It wasn’t the first time he had terrorised Australia. In the 2019 Ashes, he smashed an unbeaten 135 to help the hosts register a remarkable one-wicket win at Leeds.

“I think any international player is under pressure anytime they walk out to play, but Ben batting in the middle order or later order like he does, probably finds himself in more match-winning opportunity situations,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.

“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 Tests, and there’s not, probably not 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.”

Ponting said he had Stokes’ innings at Headingley in his mind during the thrilling final day at Lord’s.

Root expects fireworks

Leeds: England’s Joe Root has appealed for calm in the wake of Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal at Lord’s but said he expects fireworks from his fellow Yorkshireman in the third Ashes Test.

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw the ball at the stumps after Bairstow had left his crease at the end of an over on the final day. The atmosphere at the ground quickly turned hostile towards Australia’s players after the dismissal.

Now, former captain Root expects Bairstow to be fired up for the third Test beginning Thursday. “Jonny thrives off things like this,” he said. “I’m sure he will want to entertain the local crowd. I think it is set up nicely for him, but you have still got to go and do it.”

“I don’t think he took it great. I don’t think anyone would they? He felt a bit hard done by.”

Reuters