Ben Stokes, the talismanic all-rounder captain, has carved a legacy of game-winning brilliance, but as a batsman in Asia, that bravado seems to shrink. Across 26 Tests, with 14 of them played in India, Stokes has averaged a mere 27, with his lone century coming on a flat track in Rajkot back in November 2016. In Pakistan, his four outings have yielded 211 runs, with a top score of 41. Overall, Stokes’ performance in Asia tells a tale of missed opportunities: 1,361 runs in 52 innings and a comparatively more consistent 36 wickets at an average of 30.41. Whether it’s the searing heat of Sri Lanka, the spinning dust bowls of the UAE, or the sticky tracks of Bangladesh, Stokes has struggled to make his mark in Asian conditions.
In stark contrast, Jacques Kallis, the legendary South African all-rounder, thrived in Asian conditions, playing 25 Tests and amassing 2,058 runs at a stunning average of 55.62, His eight centuries in the region highlight a level of dominance that seems almost unattainable for Stokes at this stage.
This underperformance brings to mind Edward Said’s Orientalism, the way the West has historically imagined the East as a mysterious, untamable land. Asia, in the Western cricketing imagination, has long been painted as a rugged, inhospitable region, a place where the conditions are extreme, the wickets are either roads or curated by Frankenstein to spin bizarrely, and survival is a test of character as much as technique.
Perhaps, like many Western figures before him, Stokes has found himself wrestling with this Orientalist vision, an unconscious struggle against the exoticised hardships of the East, a landscape framed in Western consciousness as something to conquer. And yet, for all the bravado, the heat, humidity and spinning pitches have a way of humbling even the most lionised heroes.
England captain Ben Stokes. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Rawalpindi, with its flat track mirages and occasionally tricky conditions, offers Stokes the chance to rewrite his narrative. But it’s also been a sight of ingenuity. Heaters, industrial fans, witchcraft, and wizardry, a lot of hocus-pocus has taken place to prepare Pindi for the English boys. Could it be that the hero of Chester-le-Street is just another backpacker lost in the subcontinent?
A Stokes special has long been overdue in Asia, and the English skipper would want to leave Pakistan with a lot more than just sunburn. He risks leaving Pakistan either as victorious 2-1 with another Bazball battering or by becoming the most overhyped tourist in Pakistan this year.
Pakistan’s response to their Multan mauling has been less of a comeback and more of a quiet renaissance. With the big names taking a breather, two mid-30s spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, have gone about their business like seasoned craftsmen, spinning circles around England with the efficiency of a well-worn partnership. Their heroics are akin to Buzz Lightyear and Woody.
Kamran Ghulam at No.4, fresh off a debut century, looks like he’s been built in a lab to play spin, while Saim Ayub has rediscovered his touch at the top. Agha Salman, ever dependable at seven, seems to have perfected the art of shepherding the tail without fanfare or hype. Captain Shan Masood will also be relieved to have gotten his first win under his belt. He’s definitely eyeing a series win.
As the series shifts to Rawalpindi with everything on the line, England might be sensing that momentum has quietly shifted in Pakistan’s favour. Ben Stokes has returned to the side, pushing out Chris Woakes, both of whose form in Asia is anything but convincing. But with things looking less certain after the defeat, England may be tempted to pull a classic Bazball move—something drastic, maybe even dropping the captain.
Noman Ali goes ???? to ???? cap off a remarkable win
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 18, 2024
Finishes with figures of 8⃣-4⃣6⃣ – best for a Pakistan left-arm spinner in Tests ????#PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/tks09s9Aun
In the world of realpolitik, flair can only take you so far, and if the pitch rumours are true (Pindi set to crumble from day one), they might just need to think less about swagger and more about survival. If England has any lesson to learn from Pakistan, it is one of giving strategic, well-timed rests. Perhaps England will not step in without the aura of their captain, or perhaps they will set a precedent of winning at all costs. Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, and Chris Woakes seem like the most plausible candidates to replace Stokes.
Stokes and Co.’s 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan in 2022 caught all the headlines, but it was in India where this template of spinning Bazball out originated. In the 2024 England tour of India, England, after winning the first game, were wiped out 4-1 in the series, thanks largely to the spin of Jadeja and Ashwin.
Funny how things change in a week. England, who tore through Multan like it was a formality, now find themselves in a spot of bother. Test cricket, in all its quiet beauty, has a way of doing that.
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