Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has likened all-rounder Ben Stokes to ex-England captain Andrew Flintoff.

Ponting is working with Australia ahead of the Ashes series, which will start early next month, when Stokes will likely feature in England’s XI.

Stokes starred during the 2019 World Cup and played a particularly important role in England’s victory over New Zealand in the final at Lord’s. He has been rested for the ongoing one-off Test against Ireland at the same venue.

‘It seems like he’s playing with a lot of maturity,” former Australia captain Ponting told cricket.com.au.

‘He doesn’t seem like he’s in much of a rush now as he might have been. The thing about his personality as well, he’s a big, strong, brash guy with a bit of an ego – and I think as a younger person probably everything was flat out, one speed.

‘To me, during the World Cup, it seems like he was able to understand situations and play situations accordingly. That’s a bit of maturity and understanding his own game and understanding what his team needs him to do.

‘He’s a key man and more a key man because I think he’s that real heartbeat for their team, a bit like “Freddie” Flintoff in Ashes series gone by. Whenever they were in trouble and they needed something, they tend to go to those sort of guys. Australia need to keep him quiet if we’re going to win the series.’

Stokes missed the 2017-18 Ashes series amid a ban for his involvement in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub.

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