Chris Woakes has sent a warning to his World Cup rivals, describing Ben Stokes as “superhuman” after Stokes’ record 182 against New Zealand.
Stokes achieved England’s highest ever one-day international score in his third innings after a year-long retirement from the format.
With England’s 50-over World Cup defense starting in less than three weeks, Stokes’ performance showed he remains a match-winning force in white-ball cricket, ahead of the 2019 final. The victory was won.
Stokes hammered New Zealand with nine sixes and 15 fours to seal a 181-run victory ahead of the series finale at Lord’s on Friday.
Vox commented, “We clearly see Ben as a superhuman capable of incredible feats. We know he’s capable of it.”
“It was fantastic for both the team and Ben, he’s a phenomenal cricketer, but coming back into the team after retirement will give him a huge confidence boost.
“We all have doubts and performance concerns from time to time, so this is a major confidence boost for him and the team. It reinforces our belief that we can get a great score. can.
“It was a privilege to witness and be a part of that game as it was a phenomenal innings.
“He hit the ball cleaner than anyone else on the field. It exemplifies his exceptional skill.”
Stokes took a break from 50-over cricket last year due to workload concerns, but has since revived England’s Test team, particularly under coach Brendon McCullum.
His prominent role in the Ashes series draw against Australia earlier this year highlighted his qualities as an inspirational leader.
However, Woakes believes that Jos Buttler’s return to the ODI team and focus on his batting rather than being an all-rounder is a positive development for Stokes.
“I think it’s probably refreshing for him to come back into this team without the added responsibility of captaincy. It’s a tough job to lead an England Test team,” Woakes said.
“He probably sees it as a breath of fresh air, allowing him to play his natural game and be himself, like he always does.
“This group of players, who have been part of this team for a long time, always feel comfortable when we are reunited.”
