Ahead of the all-important Test tour to South Africa, England all-rounder Ben Stokes has predicted a long international future for the Surrey opening batsman Rory Burns.
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Amid the struggle of England’s top-order batsmen this season, Burns was the only silver lining as he hit a century in the opening Test of Ashes 2019 and followed it up with another impressive series in New Zealand.
England have struggled to produce reliable opening batters since Andrew Strauss’ retirement in 2012 and the problem only intensified when Alastair Cook called time on his Test career last year.
“We have found a gem in Rory Burns,” Stokes told talkSPORT radio on Tuesday. “He is going to have a long future.
“He is similar to Alastair Cook in the way he operates, occupying the crease and looking to spend time out in the middle to score his runs.
“When we first saw him train with us in Sri Lanka, although he didn’t get off to a great start and get the big runs, there was something about him that you could say, ‘yes, he is a Test match opening batsman’.
England vice-captain Stokes added: “That hundred he got in the Ashes was fantastic, he got a brilliant hundred in New Zealand too.
“He has got everything there to be a very successful opener for England over a long period of time.”
While Burns amassed 186 runs at an average of 61.33 from two Tests in New Zealand, his opening partner Dominic Sibley managed just 38 runs in three innings.
However, Stokes, called for patience when it came to assessing Sibley.
“Dom has got the key things and the basic things to be a successful opener.
“I am not sure if people have already written him off after not doing too well, but you need to give players like that time to take that next step, to understand what changes they need to make with their technique because the wickets are different, and the bowlers are quicker in Test match cricket.”
Stokes also requested fans to keep their expectations in check with young pacer Jofra Archer, who grabbed everyone's attention during the Ashes series but struggled badly in the Kiwiland last month.
“When you achieve what he achieved in such a short space of time you are expected to do it day in, day out, but that is just impossible,” said Stokes.
“He is 24. He doesn’t have that much experience. He is still learning how to bowl properly in different conditions.
“You have to afford him leeway and understand that he is still maturing as a player. You cannot expect him to take four for 50 in every innings.”
(With AFP inputs)
