Ben Stokes had apologised to Andrew Strauss immediately on release after Bristol brawl

A few years ago, England all-rounder Ben Stokes was seen as a man with a negative image. His brawl at a bar in Bristol in 2017 had threatened his promising career. Even during the Test series against India at home last August, he had to appear before the court. From that time till last Sunday when he played a key role to see his country lift its maiden cricket World Cup, Stokes’ life has come a full circle.

The 28-year-old New Zealand-born Stokes, who played some crucial knocks in his maiden World Cup irrespective of the team’s result, had once again chipped in as his side’s savior. As the hosts found the chase of 242 difficult, it was Stokes who remained not out till the end, scoring 84 and remaining unbeaten to witness some dramatic moments. He then came out to score eight crucial runs in the super over to pick the winner. The super over though also ended in a tie and England were virtually picked the winners by the virtue of scoring more boundaries.

Stokes wanted four overthrows in final to be canceled

England’s win came under the scanner but not Stokes’ rise as a player. It has been reported that the man had even requested the umpires to cut the four overthrows that England gained in the final over of the title clash after the ball hit his bat and crossed the boundary. The gesture has won him yet another round of applause.

However, this is not the first time that Stokes made a noble appeal. According to a report in the Telegraph, UK, the all-rounder had tendered an immediate apology to the then team director Andrew Strauss after the latter met him the morning he was released from police custody in Bristol. The cricketer was arrested because of the brawl that had caused people bodily harm.

According to Strauss, that experience saw a change in Stokes’ character and that culminated in his superlative performance in the just-concluded World Cup.

“You know what, I just remember going down to the police station. I spent a long time with Clare, his wife, waiting for him to come out of the jail and what struck me as soon as he came out was actually his character. Because he stood up and said “I’ve got this horribly wrong. I apologize sincerely for what I’ve done here”. From that moment on, I thought this was going to be a good thing for him,” Strauss was quoted as saying.

“People can go two ways after something like that happens to them. Anyone who knows Ben who has played with him knows what an incredible person he is to have on your team.”

Stokes scored four 80-plus knocks in the World Cup and while two of them won England the game, two failed. But his hunger to stay on and win the game for the country even when chips are down became something phenomenal.