Ben Stokes silenced his criticism in a commanding way when the English captain raised on the 4th day of the Manchester test against the bold century India – his first in the test cricket in two years. With the style, he reached the landmark with the border of Mohammed Siri and since July 2022 marked his 14th test and the first.
The crowd Old Trafford rose on his feet as Stokes removed the helmet, looked at the sky, and made his signature of a crooked surviving finger – a honest honor to his late father Ged Stokes. It was a deeply emotional moment for a versatile, who lasted a slim patch with a bat, but again showed his caliber in the longest format.
Stokes etched his name in record books by becoming only the fifth captain in test history to score a century and scored five goals in the same match – a rare double achieved against India in Manchester. He joined the elite group with Denis Atkinson, Garry Sobers, Mushtauq Mohammad and Imran Khan. Among the English, he became the fourth who registered this double, followed by Ian Botham, Tony Greig and Gus Atkinson.
After turning his heads with five goals – his first in eight years – Stokes further showed his versatile fitness folded, but by an authoritative click. His shifts, created with patience, resistance and flashes of the aggression of the trademark, emphasized why it remains one of the best versatile generations.
He raised a century with a look at his leg and resembled a shot of Joe Root to achieve three characters of the previous day. His celebration – clenched fist followed by a well -known greeting – spoke not only of relief, but about defiance and renewed faith.
When Stokes leading from the front, England continued to run for running, closer to the 600-brand and tightened their grip on the match. But for the captain, this knocking was probably more than just a number – it was a significant statement about the intention. When it is in the zone, few can correspond to its impact. This century was another reminder of its lasting value for the English cricket.
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Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
July 26, 2025
