Ben Stokes vs Ian Bell

[PlayerComparisons]

Two clutch players

 

[sayon basak]

Bell as a batsman
Stokes as an overall cricketer.

 

[ma1978]

Stokes obvi. Name one memorable Bell innings that would hold a card to Stoles top 3.

 

[CartyDurham]

Stokes

 

[ma1978]

What’s the case for Bell? Remind me

 

[Coronis]

What’s the case for Bell? Remind me

One is a Bellend and one is a Bell. Apt comparison.

 

[CartyDurham]

One is a Bellend and one is a Bell. Apt comparison.

Oh dear . Seek help and medication

 

[Coronis]

Oh dear . Seek help and medication

You disagree?

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Stokes obvi. Name one memorable Bell innings that would hold a card to Stoles top 3.

But is that the question ?
Consistency makes a better batsman

 

[ma1978]

But is that the question ?
Consistency makes a better batsman

Match winning makes the better player

 

[andruid]

What’s the case for Bell? Remind me

That one time he made 51 n.o. when England got rolled over for Skittles

 

[Chin Music]

That one time he made 51 n.o. when England got rolled over for Skittles

Was that Hamilton in 2008, or something like that? It was a very typical example of Bell managing to get some fairly worthless runs, I've seen it been called downhill skiing on here, during that period. He did that for fun in his early years in test cricket.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Bell also has a MotS performance in the Ashes against peak Harris. Three match-winning tons in 5 games.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Bell

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Bell also has a MotS performance in the Ashes against peak Harris. Three match-winning tons in 5 games.

Also scored 75 off 271 to help save the 3rd test and series in NZ 2013.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Match winning makes the better player

Not if those match winning innings have to compensate for a lot of poor series with the bat , Ben Stokes has had 5 calender years in his career where he averages less than 30 with the bat,
That never happened in Bell's career.

Match winning isn't just about scoring a 100 when your team is 90/8 ..
It can also be consistent scores that contribute to a team winning regularly.

 

[andruid]

The debate is giving vibes of this TEd Talk

 

[Majestic]

Ian Bell.

Stokes has regressed as a batter and an average of 35-36 with zero memorable knocks in India or Australia weakens his case. He should have hit a hundred in his last tour to those two countries and then he would have been comparable to Bell.

 

[BazBall21]

Not a big Bell fan but Stokes doesn't have the output.

 

[sledger]

Bell more consistently good in the "classic" orthodox batter sense (despite some lengthy periods of looking very not good), and more technically proficient. But Stokes is the more mercurial and talismanic player, and capable of the truly remarkable in ways that most players (including very good ones) can only dream of.