Arthur Crabtree wrote: It's tempting to think that Stokes should step up his responsibilities as a top order bat now he has a great deal of experience. But stats suggest he isn't actually getting any better, for all his coaching makes him look a nice straight orthodox batter. What we have had so far is a number seven batter and a fourth seamer augmented by some excellent fielding. His record against sides with strong spin attacks isn't that good. In ten Tests this year he averages under 27 with no hundreds. My gut feeling is that he'll start to score runs again. Though it always has been.
What motivation does Stokes have to buck down and get better? The fact is, most of the English press proclaimed him a cricketing god after 3 games, and ever since he's been touted consistently as some legend. He has had it easier than any cricketer I could really ever remember, he has at times displayed bad attitude in the dressing room, has problems off the pitch, and as a player has so far not exactly blown the doors off in either discipline. I could imagine KP being destroyed for half the things Ben does, but he cops nothing. He's been continually praise for what little production he gives, so why would he work harder? Not like his current lack of quality is being called out. He can be a passenger all he wants. Case in point, he averages 25 for a year and people are writing articles about him being a technically perfect player.
Remember all those innings when he was on "form"? Were any of those innings "clean"? All I remember is the missed stumpings, the constant dropped catches, and that time the ball smacked the offstump and the bail didnt dislodge. He got levels of luck verging on the insane. When people take catches, take stumpings, and balls dont my some miracle fail to remove the bails, he's been well under par.