On Day 4 of the fourth Test match against India, England captain Ben Stokes wrote history at Old Trafford in Manchester with a performance that left a lasting impression. In addition to giving England a commanding 311-run lead in the first innings thanks to Ben’ 141 and five wicket haul, India’s seasoned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin responded cheekily.
Interestingly, Ashwin had questioned Stokes’ batting form. After 35 innings without a century, it was his first in two years. In the first innings, the English captain had already established himself with the ball by taking 5/72 and destroying India’s batting order. Ben achieved this uncommon feat, making him the first English captain and only the fifth skipper in Test history to score a century and claim five wickets in the same game.
Stokes responded, however, scoring 141 off 198 balls.
In addition, he became just the third all-round player to reach the double of 7000+ Test runs and 200+ wickets, joining the likes of Jacques Kallis and Gary Sobers. But Ashwin had questioned Stokes’ batting contributions earlier in the series. A fan made fun of Ashwin on X after Stokes knocked. “Anna (Big Brother) @ashwinravi99, this is Ben Stokes #BenStokes,” a viewer tweeted.
“Arrey (Attention), sir ji, no one doubted his class!” was Ashwin’s response. After 2017, he received his first fifer; two years later, this game was a hundred! His traditional approach to batting in test matches, as opposed to his previous casual style, is the reason for this. Ben is an amazing athlete. I give him my hat off. However, we must keep one thing in mind. What has he accomplished as a hitter, aside from his Headingley exploits in the Ashes? From a leadership perspective, the issue is being prepared to play a test match the way it should be played. You must only play the attacking style of cricket that you are asking every batter to play.
Anna @ashwinravi99 this is Ben Stokes #BenStokes pic.twitter.com/R7NqxVNIQx
— Joney Singh (@singhjoney2002) July 26, 2025
At a pivotal point in the series, Stokes displayed his all-around genius. His performance further swung the balance in favour of the home team, as England already led 2-1 following thrilling victories at Leeds and Lord’s. His knock, Joe Root’s 150, and the efforts of the top order formed the foundation of England’s enormous 669. In the meantime, India’s captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul stabilised the innings after they lost two quick wickets in their second innings. As of this writing, India was down by 225 runs with a score of 86/2 after 29 overs.
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