Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has termed Ben Stokes as a player in a completely different league. According to Gambhir, no player comes close to Stokes on current form. Stokes hit a match-winning 176 in the second Test against West Indies to help the hosts level the series. Gambhir scored 313 runs and claimed nine wickets in the first two Tests.

“You can’t compare anyone in India at the moment with Ben Stokes. Absolutely not, because Ben Stokes is in his own league,” Gambhir said while speaking on the Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

“What he has done in Test cricket, in one-day cricket, in T20 cricket, I don’t think so there’s anyone, let alone in India, there isn’t anyone who’s even close to him in world cricket at the moment," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

According to Gambhir, who was part of India's victorious 2007 and 2011 World Cup squads, Stokes is a captain's delight because he is a high impact player. “That is the kind of impact player you need in every line-up. It would be a dream for every captain to have someone like Ben Stokes -- whether he’s batting, whether he’s bowling, whether he’s fielding,” added the former opener, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs for India.

The England all-rounder captained the team in the first Test that the hosts lost as Joe Root was absent due to the birth of his child. "He’s a leader in his own capacity. You don’t need to be called a captain to be a captain. You can be a leader by your own performances as well.

“So, I think there are a lot of guys would be actually looking to be like Ben Stokes, but unfortunately, there’s no one at the moment in world cricket," Gambhir explained.

--By A Cricket Correspondent