Former English Test spinner Monty Panesar says star allrounder Ben Stokes is the “superman of cricket” and his inclusion will have England fans dreaming of reclaiming the Ashes this summer.
After originally not being named in the squad, Stokes will now jet off to Australia with the rest of the team in early November, providing England with a big boost ahead of the Ashes.
Panesar, who played 50 Tests for England, said there was a level of expectation that Stokes will produce another “magical moment” during the much-anticipated series.
“We see him as the superman of cricket,” he said on Sportsday.
“We just think as cricket fans, he’s going to have another magical moment and that’s what we’re going to expect from him in Australia.
“We all want to see him in a happy place and it’s so good to see him well, but there will be that sense of expectation and whether he can do it in Sydney or Melbourne, that’s what we’re going to want to see.
“I hope he doesn’t put that pressure on himself if it doesn’t go that way, I think he still needs to be happy within himself.
“He’s recently talked about how important it is to talk and he has to keep doing that, I hope he enjoys the atmosphere of being at the Ashes.”
Stokes guided England to victory in the 2019 World Cup in the most extraordinary of circumstances, while he also hit the winning runs against Australia in the now famous Headingley Ashes Test two years ago, where the English chased down a mammoth 362 for victory.
He's recently been recovering from a finger injury, while also dealing with mental health issues.