Rashid better than Warne: official

[honestbharani]

I just don't think you are going to make Stokes into Kallis, he is a totally different cricketer, very fine batsman for sure but there is nothing wrong with a very fine batsman batting at 6. I was all for Root moving to 3 at the time but Root at 4 followed by Baistow, Stokes and Moeen looks very strong to me, probably puts everyone in their best position. That leaves the top order to sort out but that has been the problem the whole time. Hameed looks like he is going to be a huge part in that, maybe Jennings could be the next, who knows but I don't think you just give up.

I am not saying he has to bat like Kallis or he is a similar batsman to Kallis. Maybe his style of play will be likely more Lara than Kallis but the point is he has supreme talent with the bat and reasonable talent with the ball. It will make it all the more easier for England to make this call now and start batting him at 4 and use him as the 6th bowler and 4th seamer, meaning he might bowl 5-8 overs lesser than if he would have been batting 6, which is not really much of a loss, given you would gain his improved batsmanship.

Stokes is so good it's almost a detriment. You feel his batting ability is wasted down at 6, but also that he is being under-bowled if he isn't bowling 15-20 overs a day.

It's a nice problem to have

I'd bat him at 6, play Moeen, Rashid and Woakes, and then play 2 more quicks and stack the batting. 4 quicks 2 spinners and batting depth for ages.

Its pretty much what they have done in India, except they have had the 3rd spinner ahead of the 4th seamer but I honestly think long term, it will be to the detriment of their side. Stokes is a good to very good bowler at best but he has the potential to be one of the greats as a batsman. I know how I would use him. Bat him at 4, ask him to bat normally without worrying about anything as he seems to have worked out a good tempo and style of batting for himself in tests, make him stand at second slip for seamers and lone slip for spinners, dont tire him out making him run around in the outfield, and use him as the 6th bowler. Ali gets to bat at 6 and play more as an all-rounder than a specialist spinner, which is what he seems to prefer and might free him up a bit more while bowling. Rashid gets the confidence of being the lead spinner for the captain and continues to grow as a bowler, his batting should always just be a bonus. Woakes continues to be a bowling allrounder with a lot more emphasis on his bowling which is easily his stronger suit. I just dont see why it is so hard to accept. I guess many English fans here just do not want Stokes to bat somewhere else for jinx reasons. He is obviously too good to be a #6 forever.