Yasir Shah \'is the best leg-spinner since Shane Warne\', according to England\'s returning all-rounder Ben Stokes, speaking to the media yesterday.
Stokes, who has missed England's last three Tests with a knee injury suffered in England's victory over Sri Lanka at Headingley, is in line for a comeback at Old Trafford this week.
The Durham man was named in a 14-man squad alongside James Anderson and Adil Rashid, as England look for a response to Yasir and company after defeat in the First Investec Test.
Yasir has taken 86 wickets in 13 Tests and Stokes was quick to praise the Pakistan leg-spinner, who finished with a ten-wicket haul for the match at the Lord's.
"They're a very good team but we go into the Test knowing how he goes about bowling and we should be able to counteract that," Stokes said.
But the 25-year-old promised to stay positive and aggressive in his approach – a method which has served him well since coming into the England side three years ago.
Stokes said England will formulate a way of playing Shah which doesn't allow the Pakistan bowler to dominate the match, as he did at Lord's.
“My mentality, walking out and batting in the first place, is to try to be on the front foot and aggressive,” said Stokes, who claimed Yasir is the best wrist-spinner since Warne. “But Old Trafford is known to spin and obviously that’s going to favour him. It will just be working out a game plan in terms of how to score, but not giving your wicket away.”
Stokes also claimed he is back to 100 per cent fitness following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The all-rounder is clearly chomping at the bit to make his Test return and help England level the series in Manchester.
“It’s good to know from a confidence point of view that I can get through long days in the field and long bowling spells as well,” he said.
“It was something I definitely did need, bowling in a match situation, because I’ve been bowling in the nets but you can never replicate that. The only thing that’s useful is a game and it was a massive confidence boost.”
Stokes, if selected, will line up for England at Old Trafford tomorrow morning from 11am as the Second Investec Test gets underway.
England take on Pakistan at The SSE SWALEC in Cardiff at the end of the summer on September 4. The match is the finale of the Royal London One-Day International Series. Secure your seats by clicking here.