Ghost is underrated in normal play. It's a great escape if used early in a gank or really any dangerous situation, and has almost half the cooldown of Flash. It also lets you roam to top/bot much more effectively if you activate it right before their ward spots you, giving you the speed to close before they can escape. Plus, you can Ghost really anytime in teamfights for better kiting, safety, and to engage or disengage at will.
The main downside is that you'll be weaker in straight 1v1. Maybe you can use the speed intelligently to dodge skillshots or all-in at a good time, but in most cases, Ghost trades the combat power of Cleanse/Barrier/Ignite for safety. Cleanse can sometimes be an even safer choice if the other team has a lot of reliable CC (targeted stuns like TF card, hard engages like Malph ult), but in most cases you'd rather have 10 seconds of insane speed and no minion block.