Ashes 2017/18: Five reasons why England are missing Ben Stokes

#4 Consistency over the last couple of years

Stokes has been in very good form, both with the bat and ball

Consistency in one aspect of the game is difficult to achieve, but Ben Stokes has put paid to that notion and been one of the most consistent performers in the last two years with both bat and ball.

With the bat, from the start of 2016, the all-rounder has scored 1431 runs in 33 innings at a very good average of almost 45. He’s scored four hundreds and seven fifties during that period. And he’s got all these runs at a pretty good rate, often providing impetus to England’s innings.

With the ball (in the same period), he’s taken 49 wickets at an excellent average of 27.61. He has the knack of picking wickets at crucial stages of the game. He has also learned the art of stemming the run-flow (which was a problem at the start of his career).

Hence, there’s absolutely no doubt the English team are missing the consistency and current form of their premier all-rounder.