Stokes can be real quick, which is an advantage if a bowler has control, as he does. Stokes was in the vanguard of players from England making a fancy-priced debut in the IPL, reflecting the surge England have made in limited-overs cricket since the disastrous 2015 World Cup. These included players from overseas (Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Coulter-Nile) as well as home-bred youngsters like T. Natarajan and Mohammed Siraj. The tilt towards pace bowlers is pronounced. This breakthrough—by two players to start with—not only expands the horizons of cricket, but also uplifts the soul.

Source: Mint February 22, 2017 11:35 UTC