Ben Stokes: Floating like a Cadillac, stinging like a beemer
Ben Stokes was on his haunches. Hands over his head. Sweat dripping off his face. Hugging him from behind was Joe Root and he looked like he was about to cry. Stokes himself will never forget the image that went viral after England lost the 2016 ICC WT20 final to West Indies.
There was carnage in the last over. Windies needed a hero. 19 runs off six balls meant one of the batsmen between Carlos Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels had to step up. The former went berserk. Scratch that. It was crisp hitting at best as he launched four balls into the stands, making Stokes pay for every minor error he made despite coming in full throttle. The Windies won with two balls to spare.
His autobiography 'Firestarter: Me, Cricket and the Heat of the Moment' talks about the images reminding him of how he had pretty much botched up England's chances to grab the trophy.
Except Stokes was wrong. Everyone remembered Brathwaite. Everyone also remembered Ben Stokes.
Stokes has always been touted as England's X-factor. He proved that by being involved in the most historical moments in world cricket. If it was on the losing side at Eden Gardens in 2016, he redeemed himself with a defining knock of the ages against New Zealand in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Final.
Chasing New Zealand's modest 241 proved to be an uphill task. Reeling at 86 for 4, it came down to Stokes to play a knock that gave his side a fighting chance. The raucous Lord's crowd hoped with every run that came of his blade. The dressing room, a bundle of nerves and sweaty palms, hoped with the crowd. Stokes' unbeaten 84 saw the hosts draw the match, resulting in a Super Over.
The thriller had not ended. The Super Over ended in a draw, but England won on the boundary count. It was their first World Cup win, and Stokes gave it to them.
He did it again later in the Ashes soon after. His unbeaten 135 in England's chase was regarded as one of the greatest chases in Ashes history.
Ben Stokes is a Cadillac. The last time the moniker was in vogue was to describe Muhammad Ali in his rookie year for his raw machismo, brute power and the ridiculous skill set he possessed while thulping his opponents in the ring.
And on his 30th birthday, it's only natural that Stokes is remembered for his pyrotechnics, his brilliance and his contribution to England cricket. The muscular brand of cricket was perhaps what England needed to rev up their already existing bunch of superstars. Joe Root was subtle, Eoin Morgan and Jos Butler fall under swashbuckling. Stokes was a sledgehammer.
Ben Stokes is England's biggest weapon. Period.
Ben Stokes is already a notable absentee in England's two-match Test series against New Zealand after the injury he sustained during the first phase of IPL 2021. It's no secret of the fact that he's been racing against time to recover and be part of the five-match Test series against India starting August 4.
England want him in that squad. More so than win against India, which they will gladly take, they want him for the Ashes. He was their hero the last time, and they need Stokes as their savior to crystallize again.
Ben Stokes does sting. Like Ali, he wears his heart on his sleeve. There's nothing left in the tank by the time he's done. While he may have dented himself in the process, his attitude and approach have redefined the way England play their cricket.
By the end of it all, what may come across as a puff piece is nothing more than a tribute to a player who has been the best in recent times and a generational superstar in his own right. On his birthday it's not just Ben Stokes eager to make a return, but England, who are glad they have him on their side and have him back steaming in with the ball, diving full tilt and batting explosively. He, after all, is a beemer.