First time in 148 years! Ben Stokes becomes first English cricketer to achieve rare double in Tests - Full details

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Ben Stokes became the first England captain and fourth English cricketer to take five wickets and score a hundred in the same Test. He also became the first England player to score 7000-plus runs and take 200 wickets in Tests.

England's captain Ben Stokes acknowledges fans after his hundred against India in Manchester.
England's captain Ben Stokes acknowledges fans after his hundred against India in Manchester.(PTI)

Ben Stokes' century against India on the fourth day of the fourth Test carried a lot of emotions. As soon as the England captain leg glanced Jasprit Bumrah for a boundary to reach his first Test hundred in two years, the southpaw quickly looked up to the heavens with a finger gesture in the memory of his late father Ged Stokes.

Not only it came as a sigh of relief for Stokes, but also put England in the driver's seat as the hosts were all out for 669, thus taking a 310-run first innings lead against the Shubman Gill-led side at Old Trafford. Stokes' last Test hundred came in 2023 against Australia at Lord's.

In the process, Stokes became he first from the country in their 148-year history to scored 7000-plus runs and take 200 wickets in Tests. The South African-born Englishman also became third in overall list after legendary West Indian Gary Sobers and Jacques Kallis.

Not just this rare double, Stokes also became first England captain with a century and five-wicket haul in a single Test match. He had registered figures of 5/72 during India's first innings.

Stokes is just the fourth England player to take five wickets and score a hundred in the same Test after Tony Greig, Ian Botham -- who did it five times -- and the currently sidelined Gus Atkinson.

Players with 7000+ runs & 200+ wickets in Tests

PlayerRunsWickets
Gary Sobers (West Indies)8032235
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)13289292
Ben Stokes (England)7000*229*

Captains with 100 & fifer in same Test

PlayerOpponentVenueYear
Denis Atkinson (WI)AustraliaBridgetown1955
Garry Sobers (WI)EnglandLeeds1966
Mushtaq Mohammad (PAK)West IndiesPort of Spain1977
Imran Khan (PAK)IndiaFaisalabad1983
Ben Stokes (ENG)IndiaManchester2025

Stokes' entertaining innings came to an end when he was caught off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling for 141 runs off 198 balls. Stokes also became the fourth England cricketer after Tony Greig, Ian Botham (5 times) and the currently-sidelined Gus Atkinson to take five wickets and score a hundred in the same Test.

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