At 29, Ben Stokes has already won a World Cup. He fought a valiant battle in the Ashes that is still fresh in the memories of many. Also, he has written a bestseller about the dream summer he had last year.
Ben Stokes turned 29 on Thursday and all that he would be more than delighted even if his next 12 months are half as good as the last 12.
Ben Stokes’s career didn’t look like it would have some of England cricket’s biggest milestones when he was involved in a street brawl in Bristol in 2017 and the incident wherein he was spotted mocking model Katie Price and her son with significant disabilities.
But the Stokes of today is an England cricket hero. He is among the best all-rounders of the modern-era, if not the best. He was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2019.
Ben Stokes made sure he did not mess up the 2nd chance that came his way. He made sure he was there whenever England needed him the most.
England, the masters of the Gentleman’s Game, were haunted by eluding the World Cup trophy. Despite having produced some of the greatest names in the history of world cricket and boasting a passionate fan-following for the game, the absence of the World Cup title had haunted them until Stokes stepped up in the final.
Stokes has made it a habit to do the improbable. With his ability to run in and bend his back to produce something out of nothing and snatch away the game with his resolute batting performances, Stokes is the match-winner that every captain would want in his team.
Ben Stokes emerges as England’s hero at the Mecca of Cricket
On the day of the big final at the Lord’s, it was once again Stokes who helped England cross the final hurdle and create history.
England were in a spot of bother at 86/4 in chase of 242 but Stokes came up with one of the most memorable and action-filled World Cup final knocks.
Stokes hit 84 from 98 and once again batted expertly with the tail before the match ended as a tie. An overthrow deflected off Stokes’s bat and went for a boundary in the final over when England needed 15. But Stokes’s reaction made sure there was no bad blood between the two teams after the final.
In the Super Over, Stokes flexed his muscles and helped England post 15 runs.
Under pressure, Stokes delivered, delivered big and emerged as the hero on the biggest day in England cricket’s history.
Headingley heroics with Jack Leach
AFP Photo
A couple of months later, Stokes once again rescued England, this time against Australia in one of cricket’s biggest rivalries — the Ashes.
Australia were 1-0 up in the 3rd Test in Headingley and were looking to make it 2-0 and regain the Urn.
Chasing 362, England were 286 for 9 and the Australians in the ground had already started celebrating. England had a mountain to climb, especially after getting bowled out for 67 in the first innings.
Captain Joe Root and Joe Denly fought hard but it looked like Australians were seeing the finish line.
Nonetheless, Stokes fought hard, like he has for umpteen times in the last few years.
He scored 135 of 219. Stitched a 96-runs stand with No. 11 Jack Leach. The bespectacled tail-ender scored 1, Stokes did the rest and denied the inevitable.
Stokes was named the Man of the Series in Ashes 2019 despite Australia regaining the Urn after a drawn series.
From missing the Ashes in 2017-18 to becoming the impact man last year, Stokes’s transition from a bad boy to an English cricket hero was complete. In a few months, when cricket resumes, Stokes could well lead the England Test team. What a turnaround!
