Nasser Hussain, the former captain of England, described Ben Stokes as one of the team's most "technically gifted" batters and said it was only a matter of time before spectators witnessed him at his very best with both the bat and the ball this season.
While Stokes, the team's captain, has guided his team to five victories in as many Test matches this summer, the most recent of which was an Old Trafford victory by an innings and 85 runs over South Africa, as a cricketer he played a match-winning role against the Proteas by scoring a century and taking four wickets in total.
"This summer, it was just a matter of time before we saw Ben Stokes at his very best with both the bat and the ball, and the second Test was that moment (at Old Trafford). Yes, after taking over as captain, Stokes wanted to set the tone and demonstrate that he wouldn't ask his team to do anything he wasn't willing to do himself. But eventually Ben the captain and Ben the cricketer had to step up "Hussain wrote this in his Daily Mail column.
"Cricket player Ben Stokes is a highly proud man who strives to give his all on the field. When his side needed him most against South Africa, he stepped up because he would never have been satisfied with 20s, 30s, and the occasional wicket."
Hussain believed that England was not in serious trouble when Stokes entered the game, but the all-rounder gave his team the winning edge by leading them to 320/6 with his century. Following their declaration, England dismissed South Africa for 179 runs to win by an innings and 85 runs.
"Stokes is always the man for a crisis, and while that was not exactly the situation, England was still trailing South Africa and needed to make up ground when he went to bat. England needed their captain to have a game-changing innings because the ball was turning, and Stokes delivered by keeping his speed perfect.
"Stokes has always been one of the English team's most technically adept batters. At Old Trafford, what we witnessed from Stokes and England was not Bazball. I detest that phrase. England wants to approach everything they do with positivity. They will attack most of the time as a result of that, but there are also moments to stay in and take the pressure, according to Hussain.