Former England assistant coach Paul Farbrace has praised Ben Stokes for his heroic all-round performance in the Lord’s Test against India. Stokes scored 44 and 33 runs across both innings and took five wickets in the third Test. Leading from the front, he was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his impact with both bat and ball.
His most crucial moment came when he ran out Rishabh Pant for 74 just before lunch on Day 3, preventing India from taking the lead. Later, his wicket of Akash Deep on Day 4 and KL Rahul on Day 5 helped swing the momentum back in England’s favour.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Farbrace said, “The great thing about Ben is that he is a leader. Forget captaincy and, you know, the tactical side of captaincy. Ben is an absolute leader. When Ben is doing anything, people want to be part of it. They want to be with him.”
“He is our modern Ian Botham” – Paul Farbrace
Farbrace continued, “The way he was in the field, the run out of Pant just before lunch, you know, when they were trying to get Rahul on strike to get his hundred before lunch. I mean, that really swung the game England’s way.”
He also described Stokes as “a game changer” and added, “It is great to see him with the ball in his hand… when he runs in, he bowls genuine wicket-taking balls.”
Farbrace went a step further, comparing Stokes to an England legend: “He is our modern Ian Botham.”
So far in the series, Stokes has scored 163 runs and taken 11 wickets, making him England’s highest wicket-taker. His ability to deliver in high-pressure situations—like the 2019 World Cup final or the Headingley miracle—has solidified his reputation as a player for big moments.
Farbrace summed it up: “Ben is capable of dragging his team with him.”
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