Ben Stokes vs Ian Bell

[GIMH]

Root is a much better player than Stokes

I don’t know about much better. But think Root does shade it.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Jimmy is quite clearly the best English player post Botham to me. Root is kinda close, as is Stokes and very arguably Cook, but Anderson is clear of them imo.

 

[sayon basak]

Stokes isn't a better bat than Bell but he's definitely a better player

Their batting is close and Stokes is an All rounder, so that's not particularly close.

 

[sayon basak]

Jimmy is quite clearly the best English player post Botham to me. Root is kinda close, as is Stokes and very arguably Cook, but Anderson is clear of them imo.

I think Root can surpass Anderson if he plays good enough for another 3 or 4 years.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Can’t see Root surpassing Anderson. I think Root will probably end up with like 14k runs at an average of 47. Anderson had a great tour of Aus too.

 

[Adders]

I think I would group Stokes along with Flintoff, Pietersen, and Buttler as the only England players in my lifetime (I guess Botham was also technically in my lifetime, but I was too small to remember) who had/have a quicksilver-like quality, whose value and influence aren't necessarily fully reflected in their stats etc., but had/have it within them to influence/change games in ways that so many other players, many of whom are better on paper (or even objectively better, if there is such a thing), just didn't/don't have the capacity to do. Real "you can't coach that" kind of stuff.

With players like this you also inevitably get a lot of failures and disappointments, of course. The frustration of which is compounded by knowledge of how great they can be. Seems to be par for the course. But all of the above are/were absolutely remarkable talents in their own right for mine. And it might be a case of heart over head, but in a situation where the chips were really down, I'd probably pick any of them (maybe not Buttler I guess) over Ian Bell.

Stuart Broad probably belongs in that list too as a bowler that had that ability to change the course of game by sheer force of will.

 

[sayon basak]

Can’t see Root surpassing Anderson. I think Root will probably end up with like 14k runs at an average of 47. Anderson had a great tour of Aus too.

Average of 47? Why? He is in a pretty good shape.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Average of 47? Why? He is in a pretty good shape.

Most batsmen drop a few points at the end

 

[sayon basak]

Most batsmen drop a few points at the end

Fair enough. I think still he would have a case of being ahead of Anderson.

 

[Coronis]

Fair enough. I think still he would have a case of being ahead of Anderson.

Well yeah. He’s going to either end up with the most/second most runs at this rate and is a better batsman than Anderson is a bowler.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

They’re around the same level quality/skill wise. Andersons freakish longevity as a seamer is the tiebreaker imo.

 

[sledger]

Stuart Broad probably belongs in that list too as a bowler that had that ability to change the course of game by sheer force of will.

I'm not sure I would have Broad in that list tbh. I see where you're coming from, but for me Broad is just a good example of a really really good player.

 

[andruid]

He may be a **** but Michael Vaughn's captaincy and proficiency with the bat really give him an edge

 

[Chin Music]

He may be a **** but Michael Vaughn's captaincy and proficiency with the bat really give him an edge

It is forgotten that Vaughan was a really good batsman before his knees gave way. I guess the fact that England got pumped in 2002/3 undermined how good he was against that attack.

 

[andruid]

It is forgotten that Vaughan was a really good batsman before his knees gave way. I guess the fact that England got pumped in 2002/3 undermined how good he was against that attack.

I only mentioned him because of how this thread has drifted away from the original protagonists, Bell and Stokes

 

[Majestic]

Root will be better than Anderson unless he has a tragic end. His away record is better than Anderson, his only blemish is lack of hundred in Australia.

 

[howitzer]

Well yeah. He’s going to either end up with the most/second most runs at this rate and is a better batsman than Anderson is a bowler.

I've noticed that @PlayerComparisons underrates Root quite a bit. That can be the only explanation as to why he thinks he hasn't already surpassed Anderson.