Manchester, July 24: England Test captain Ben Stokes added another remarkable chapter to his storied career, claiming a five-wicket haul against India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford to enter the record books as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of Test cricket.
Stokes, who had earlier dismissed Indian skipper Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan on the opening day, returned on Thursday to complete his five-for by removing Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, and debutant Anshul Kamboj. He finished with impressive figures of 5 for 72 — his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket, and his first since a career-best 6 for 22 against the West Indies at Lord’s back in 2017.With this milestone, Stokes has joined an exclusive group of all-round legends who have scored 10 or more Test centuries and taken at least five five-wicket hauls. The only other cricketers to reach this double are Sir Garry Sobers, Ian Botham, and Jacques Kallis — three names that stand tall in the annals of the game.Stokes now has 13 Test hundreds and 229 wickets to his name. His batting average of 35.15 and bowling average of 31.63 put him firmly in elite territory, especially considering the demanding dual role he has played across his career. (Agencies)
