Ms Dhoni and Ben Stokes [x.com]
When Ricky Ponting took a keen interest in Ben Stokes' performance during the Ashes Test Match 2023, he couldn't help but draw intriguing parallels between the English all-rounder and India's legendary finisher, MS Dhoni.
Stokes, a consistent match-winner for England across formats, showcased his mettle with a stellar knock of 155 at Lord’s during the second Test, earning accolades from worldwide.
Here's what Ricky Ponting said:
“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 than some others might."
He further added:
“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 Test matches, and there’s not, probably not many, 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.”
Highlighting the rarity of players assuming the role of a finisher, Ponting praised Stokes for his remarkable contributions. Recalling Stokes' unforgettable unbeaten 135 at Leeds in 2019, where England chased down 359 against Australia, Ponting expressed his belief that Stokes could have replicated such heroics at Lord’s.
