Stokes went on to praise Atkinson’s work ethic and dedication to improving his game, highlighting his ability to adapt and learn quickly at the highest level of the game.
Atkinson himself has remained humble throughout his meteoric rise in Test cricket, attributing his success to the support of his teammates and coaches.
With the Ashes series against Australia looming, Atkinson’s performances have certainly caught the eye of the selectors, and he will undoubtedly be a key player for England in the upcoming series.
As Stokes aptly put it, Gus Atkinson has truly made a remarkable impact in his first summer of Test cricket, and his future in the game looks incredibly bright.
Stokes continued, “It proves that if you see someone with a bit of talent, with the skillset and armoury he has as a player, and tell them to go out and express themselves and be who they want to be, it is amazing what results you can get from that.”
Root’s incredible performance this summer, breaking records and scoring centuries, has solidified his place as England’s greatest-ever batter in Stokes’ eyes. “He is an amazing player. I don’t think there is much more I can say about him,” Stokes said. “I have pretty much used all the superlatives with Joe in the 10 or 12 years I have played with him.”
Stokes highlighted Root’s unselfishness and team-first mentality, making him not only a phenomenal player but also a great leader on the field. “The thing about Joe is he is so unselfish, he puts the team first in whatever decision-making there is throughout a Test match or even throughout a series,” Stokes added. “He is just awesome.”