On Day 3 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, England supporters would have been in shock when Ben Stokes left the pitch during the third session while batting. After attempting a reverse sweep against Washington Sundar, the England skipper was spotted clutching his left leg. Nevertheless, he kept batting with Joe Root and reached his 36th half-century in the game’s longest format.
In order to combat what appeared to be cramping, Stokes sought to grab some water before the 115th over of the England innings began. The seasoned fighter made the decision to leave the pitch at the end of the over. He was seen walking up the stairs to the dressing room with a little limp. At the time, the southpaw was hitting 66 off 116 deliveries. He had never before retired from international cricket with an injury.
Below is a video of Ben Stokes leaving the pitch:
Ben Stokes has retired hurt on 66 ❌
England fans will hope that it’s just due to cramp and not something more serious… pic.twitter.com/rIay3VB4ED
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 25, 2025
After England had lost the wickets of Chris Woakes, Jamie Smith, and Joe Root, Stokes would come out to bat in the 130th over. The audience at the stunning location gave him a standing ovation.
Stokes is aware of how critical it is to extend England’s lead as much as possible. The Three Lions would not want to chase a very high total in the fourth innings since some balls bounce awkwardly from a length and others stay low. With Joe Root leading the way with an incredible 150 from 248 balls, they had already taken a lead of more than 175 runs.
Hats off to Captain Ben Stokes — even after suffering from cramps, he’s out there batting again.🥺 pic.twitter.com/VSrm8qC0ne
— Ishi.❤️ (@ishi_178) July 25, 2025
Harry Brook did not have a start on Day 3, as Ollie Pope was removed for a fluent 71. The talismanic all-rounder had to retire injured when the Root-Stokes combination collapsed for 142 runs off 215 balls. In the Test match, England has put themselves in a fairly advantageous position. They already have a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, and a victory in Manchester would give them an insurmountable lead ahead of the final Test, which will take place at London’s The Oval.
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