Andrew Flintoff says Ben Stokes could be better than Sir Ian Botham
'Bairstow should be in every England team across all formats'
Friday 7 July 2017 11:45, UK
Andrew Flintoff says England's "heartbeat" Ben Stokes could topple Sir Ian Botham as the country's greatest ever all-rounder.
Stokes has made a host of memorable contributions since debuting for England in Tests during the 2013-14 Ashes, including smashing 258 from 198 balls against South Africa in Cape Town in 2016 and taking 6-36 at Trent Bridge to help England regain the urn from Australia in 2015.
Flintoff, who amassed 3,845 runs and 226 wickets in his 79 Tests, believes Stokes is a better player than him and may even trump Botham, who scooped 383 wickets and 5,200 runs during his 102-match Test career.
"He looks like the heartbeat of the team - everything centres round what he's doing," Flintoff said of Stokes, England's new Test vice-captain, on Sky Sports.
"If England need a lift or a wicket he comes on and when he comes into bat you can feel it from the team, from the crowd and sat at home watching it on TV, that there is an expectancy something is going to happen.
"Everyone compares him to me - but he's better than me and, potentially, he's better than Botham. Beefy won't like it but who cares - we've got Ben Stokes! He'll be doing Shredded Wheat adverts and all sorts!"
Flintoff - who will commentate on at least eight NatWest T20 Blast games for Sky Sports this summer, including at Finals Day on September 2 - also spoke about how much he enjoys watching the current England team, reserving special praise for wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow.
Bairstow's Yorkshire team-mate, Joe Root, is now England Test captain - he's currently in his first match as skipper against South Africa, at Lord's - and Flintoff expects the 26-year-old to eventually lead his country across all formats.
"I think Bairstow is brilliant - every time he comes in, he scores runs and keeps well and how he is not in every team I'm not quite sure," added Flintoff. "He'd be my third name on the team sheet.
"[England] are brilliant, aren't they? They are a very good team, play a style of cricket that you want to watch and have people who kids can look up to - proper role models in Root, Stokes, Jos Buttler.
"It's the type of team you'd love to play in - but I wouldn't get a game!
"I think ultimately Joe will be captain in all forms of the game - I've got nothing against [white-ball skipper] Eoin Morgan, who is doing a grand job, but it's a natural progression."
Watch Flintoff's first NatWest T20 Blast shift for Sky Sports on Saturday evening, when Birmingham Bears host Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports 2 from 6.45pm.
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