London [UK], August 4 : Head coach Brendon McCullum had special words of praise in store for "once-in-a-generation" cricketer Ben Stokes and remains assured that the England skipper will give his all against their arch-rival Australia in the highly anticipated Ashes.
England had plenty of positives to take away from the testing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy that ended in a 2-2 draw. Before being ruled out of the fifth Test, Stokes led from the front and set an example for his side, a blend of experience and raw talent.
He bowled 140 overs, his most he has bowled in a Test series. Before the nerve-wracking series finale, Stokes was the leading wicket-taker for his side with a whopping 17 scalps to his name at 25.23. His efforts weren't limited to the bowling front.
After initially struggling to find his mojo, Stokes rediscovered his form with a scintillating 141(191) during the fourth Test in Manchester. With Stokes firing all cylinders, McCullum was in awe of the experienced all-rounder.
"Stokes is a once-in-a-generation cricketer. He makes things happen with bat in hand, he has the most Test sixes, and he absorbs pressure better than anyone I have ever seen. Obviously, he is an inspirational captain who the guys follow. He is always looking how to advance the game and transfer pressure onto the opposition," McCullum said while speaking to Sky Sports.
Stokes took himself to dark places after elongating his spells in London and Manchester. He even bowled 10-over spells at Lord's to inspire the Three Lions to a famous 22-run victory. The unrelenting spells took a toll on his body, and he was ruled out of the contest due to a right shoulder muscle injury.
The injury served as a massive setback, considering he returned to the on-field action after a long spell on the sidelines. McCullum believes the injury setbacks are a part and parcel of the game, but Stokes' return to form is an ominous sign for the team.
"Through force of will, he is able to get things to work, and sometimes that means he has to bowl long periods or has to take himself to dark places. You can't have one without the other, and sometimes that does lead to injuries, and that is just part and parcel of it. I would never want him to change. He will leave it all out there in Australia," he said.
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