Ian Botham feels Ben Stokes has returned from India as a better cricketer

Former England captain Ian Botham feels England all-rounder Ben Stokes has returned from his stint at the IPL as a better cricketer. Stokes, who fetched a whopping Rs. 14.5 crore for his maiden appearance in the IPL, became the costliest foreign player in the league’s history.

The Rising Pune Supergiant were boosted by Stokes’ addition to the squad as the Englishman powered his side to the final with an all-round performance. Stokes was eventually named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after he scored 316 runs at a strike rate of 142.98 and took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.18.

Ben Stokes doesn’t get flustered anymore

“He has matured as a person and a cricketer. People were saying to me ‘do you think he should have gone for that long to the IPL?’ The answer is ‘yes’ because he’s come back a better cricketer. He’s probably thinking a lot clearer and knows what he wants to do; he doesn’t get flustered anymore,” Botham shared.

“The red mist comes down occasionally but he’s controlling that. I think he’s come back from India a better cricketer and I think people should look at the bigger picture and not just say ‘he’s got a knee injury – he got that in the IPL’ when in fact, he’s had that a while,” Botham was reported as saying Sky Sports on Saturday.

Stokes also carried his IPL form into the one-dayers against South Africa. His brilliant 101 at the Rose Bowl set up yet another total in excess of 300 for England. After being dropped off two consecutive deliveries, the left-hander punished South Africa with a 79-ball ton. His knock included 11 fours and 3 sixes. Both Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock would have been quite disappointed to have let Stokes off when he was yet to get off the mark.

Meanwhile, debutant Keshav Maharaj had to play the long waiting game for his maiden ODI wicket.Stokes also removed a steady Hashim Amla to break the important opening wicket stand for South Africa. He finished with figures of 1/12 from the 3 overs he bowled. England pulled off a last over thriller to keep South Africa’s big-hitters David Miller and Chris Morris at bay. Mark Wood bowled a disciplined final over to seal a stunning 2-run victory, hence securing the 3-match ODI series.