MANCHESTER — Ben Stokes is proving why he is England’s premier all-rounder at just the right time. After a long injury layoff, the England captain took his first five-wicket haul since 2017 in the ongoing fourth Test against India. His bowling performance is giving England a crucial edge in the series.
Stokes faced several injury setbacks, including two hamstring surgeries earlier this year. He only returned to bowling in May and initially aimed just to bowl pain-free. “To be able to do some really good technical work and get back to where I was before my injuries is really good,” he said.
Despite the return of frontline bowler Jofra Archer, Stokes bowled the most overs for England in the third Test at Lord’s. In Manchester, he’s bowled more than in any other series in his Test career. His all-round efforts helped England stay competitive and hopeful for a series win.
Stokes now joins a rare group of cricketers with 10 or more Test centuries and five or more five-wicket hauls. At 34, he is also taking more wickets than ever before in a Test series, with several innings still to go.
England opener Zak Crawley praised Stokes, saying, “He is a phenomenal cricketer. Apart from his skills, it is his attitude to keep coming. It’s great to see him bowling so much again and getting his rewards.”
With Stokes fit and firing, England look stronger as they aim to clinch the series at Old Trafford.