ENGLAND TOUR OF BANGLADESH 2016-17

Stokes can become one of the all-time best all-rounders: Bayliss

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Ben Stokes struck an attacking 85 in the second innings to rescue England after they were reduced to 62 for 5 © Cricbuzz

Trevor Baylis, England coach, heaped praise on all-rounder Ben Stokes and said that the Christchurch-born player can develop into one of the best all-rounders of all time after the latter's match-winning effort against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.

The English all-rounder bagged six wickets and scored 103 runs as England defused Bangladesh's challenge in a close encounter. Bayliss believes Stokes's inclusion in the side helps the team play with three pacers and three spinners, a luxury for touring sides in the subcontinent.

"Stokes is very important," Bayliss said on Tuesday (October 25). "He allows us to play that extra spinner and the third pace bowler. Mo batting at No. 5 plays a similar role to us, especially here in the subcontinent, and the way he played in the first innings, he is suited to playing spin bowling.

"He could be right up there with some of the all-time best all-rounders. He's young into his career and that's going to be easier to judge the longer he goes. Only time will tell.

"But the strides he's made on the subcontinent, playing spin, have been top class. It wasn't all that long ago we were wondering how he might go on spin-friendly wickets, but he's a guy that works extremely hard in the nets.

While England have a long list of bowlers who are more than handy with the bat - like Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid, Stokes has been touted as the finest all-rounder in England currently. However, his numbers in Test cricket don't quite reflect story of the hype. In 26 Tests so far, he averages 34.04 with the bat and 34.86 with the ball. Yet, time and again in his short career, he has come up with game-changing performances.

In the recently-concluded Test, before rescuing his side from 62 for 5 in the second innings with an attacking knock of 85, he generated reverse swing with the ball on a slow surface to bag four wickets in the first essay. In the second innings, he scalped two late wickets to end Bangladesh's resistance.

"It's his defence to spin that has improved out of sight. We know that if he gets a bad ball he can hit anything over the fence, but you've got to be there to get that loose ball.

"In the past he probably hasn't had a lot of footwork, has played from the crease and backed his eyes and hands. But as we've seen on this tour, in the one-dayers and this Test, he's defended really well off the front foot, got right out and smothered the ball before it had a chance to spin and jump past the outside edge."

Stokes, who was battling niggles and injuries and at the start of this season, has attained full fitness. Bayliss believes, if fitness does not remain a matter of concern, the all-rounder will be a key player in England's set-up for their series in India.

"We don't want to get halfway through the India series and have one or two guys injured and definitely out. And we also want to give those guys who will probably play at some stage some game time.

"But it would be a brave man to bet against Stokes playing all seven Tests. I'm not sure we'd be game enough to drop him anyway; we might get a thump in the head. He's a very resilient person, let alone cricketer, and he just keeps on keeping on. We've just got to watch what he does between the Tests to make sure he is available for all the matches," he concluded.

© Cricbuzz

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