Michael Vaughan warns England coaching staff against Ben Stokes burnout

Michael Vaughan has stated concern over the playing of all-rounder Ben Stokes and the amount of cricket the all-rounder has been involved in recent times. Stokes had suffered multiple injuries back to back in the English summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Stokes was injured in the first Test against Sri Lanka and was also ruled out for the most part of the England and also missed out of the Test series against Pakistan. He played the ODI series against Pakistan but was restricted from bowling in the series as well.

“Stokes has got that ability to get in the opposing team’s faces with expertise,” Vaughan said during the launch of BT Sport’s cricket coverage. “Many players have tried to wind up the opposition by being forceful and aggressive without having the game [to back it up] but, with Stokes, you just know, every time he goes to the crease, things are going to happen.

He also mentioned that skipper Alastair Cook would have to try to get the ball out of his hands. “I think the problem that Alastair will have is getting the ball out of his hands. He wants to bowl, he wants to compete – speak to Paul Collingwood, he bowls marathon spells for Durham, 16-17 overs – and he’s got that ability to produce magic with the old ball.

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“And even when he’s bowled badly and sprayed the ball all over the place, he’s always created opportunities. Beefy Botham took a lot of wickets with long-hops and Ben Stokes is very similar, because he’s got that physical presence out in the middle. He does intimidate opposition batsmen, so he will create opportunities.”

“The real question is injury,” Vaughan said. “We saw in the summer against Pakistan, he missed the two Tests that England lost [at Lord’s and The Oval]. The Chittagong Test win was 22 runs … without Ben Stokes, England would have lost.

“Many would say as a captain, did you go to bed at night and not sleep because of the toss or opposing team. No, the one thing that Cook will be saying at night is: ‘Please, Ben Stokes, don’t get injured’ because he’s that important to the team.”

“They will have to be wary of the amount of bowling he does in India, but he’s the kind of guy who wants to be in the game. I remember Duncan Fletcher used to say to the team, ‘get in the game’. If the game is flat, do something.

“That’s the kind of player he is. Whatever the situation, you are looking at him and he’s in the game. Whether at backward point, or on the drive, or with the ball in hand, or striding out to bat. You just know things are going to happen.”

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