English team is going to look like kittens without Ben Stokes: Sir Viv Richards

Everything was going smoothly for English all-rounder Ben Stokes, until 25th September, when he engaged in a feud with a man outside a nightclub in Bristol. The most expensive player of the Indian Premier League was hence sidelined from cricket and the English side was left toothless without their main asset. Joe Root’s side will play the Ashes against the mighty Aussies, that too in their den, and the legendary Sir Vivian Richards feels that without the all-rounder, the English team is going to look like kittens.

Currently, a police investigation is conducted on the incident and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to give the final verdict only after the completion. As of now, he stands suspended and won’t be featuring in at least the first two Test matches against their rivals, Australia.

“I’m a fan of Ben Stokes, England need that all-rounder with a bit of heart. I think you’re going to need this stuff Down Under because the Aussies bring it. ‘It will be quite crucial [to have him] in Australia. Let me say this, without Ben Stokes the English team is going to look like kittens in my opinion,” the man from St. John’s, Antigua said while talking to BBC Sports.

“What I saw when I came here [to England]… the middle order was a bit fragile. They kept chopping and changing. You can get away with that against West Indies, I’m not sure you will against Australia,” the owner of over 15,000 international runs further added.

Tom Curran selected as Steven Finn’s replacement

It seems there is no end to English coach Trevor Bayliss’ concerns, as Stokes’ initial replacement Steven Finn has been ruled out of the entire tour due to a knee injury. The tall and lanky pacer is replaced by the 22-year-old youngster, Tom Curran. Curran has played 3 T20Is and an ODI match but is yet to play a Test match for England.