
Stokes ends two-year wait for Test hundred before India collapse in fourth Test
Stokes' dominant 141 powered England to 669 all out their fifth-highest total of all time on the fourth day of the fourth Test.
That gave England, already 2-1 up in this five-match series, a huge first-innings lead of 311 runs.
There was still time for India to face a tricky three overs before lunch.
And Chris Woakes then raised English hopes of a victory in Manchester with more than a day to spare by striking with successive balls of the first over of India's second innings as both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan fell for ducks.
Jaiswal nicked the fourth ball of the over, a good length delivery that seamed away, to first slip where Joe Root dropped a two-handed chance but clung on with one at the second attempt.
Next ball Sudharsan, uncertain whether to play or leave, produced a woeful shot that ended with an outside edge to Harry Brook at second slip.
India captain Shubman Gill survived a legside hat-trick ball from veteran paceman Woakes but at lunch the tourists were still in dire straits at 1-2.
England resumed in the already commanding position of 544-7 after Root had become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history during his majestic 150 on Friday.
Stokes, 77 not out overnight after briefly leaving the field with cramp Friday following his first fifty of the series, was in superb touch Saturday.
The left-handed batsman twice cover-drove Mohammed Siraj for superb fours as he went to 88.
Stokes charged down the pitch to drive Bumrah for three to go to 99 and then spent several deliveries one run short of three figures, with the world's top-ranked Test bowler beating the England skipper on the outside edge.
But Stokes went to his century with a leg-glanced four off paceman Bumrah his ninth boundary in 164 balls faced.
It was all-rounder Stokes' first Test hundred in over two years following a whirlwind 155 against Australia at Lord's in June 2023.
The 34-year-old celebrated his 14th century in 115 Tests by clenching his fist, looking to the sky and making a crooked finger gesture in honour of his late father Ged Stokes before raising his bat to a cheering crowd.
His hundred capped a brilliant display with both bat and ball by Stokes, England's leading bowler this series, after the lively fast-medium seamer had taken 5-72 in India's first-innings 358.
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.
With the shackles off, Stokes then straight drove Washington Sundar for six although his expression suggested he thought he would be caught on the boundary and next ball he reverse swept the off-spinner for four.
Stokes then launched Ravindra Jadeja for six but next ball, trying to repeat the stroke, he holed out off the left-arm spinner with England exactly 300 runs ahead at 658-9 before
Bryson Carse, who mad a useful 47, was last man out when he too was caught in the deep off Jadeja, who finished with 4-143 from 37.1 overs.
jdg/bsp
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Today
14 minutes ago
- India Today
Gambhir bats for injury replacements in Test cricket, Ben Stokes slams ridiculous idea
England captain Ben Stokes has called out the idea of injury replacements in Test cricket. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Stokes reacted to the question of if someone like Rishabh Pant should be allowed an injury replacement. The all-rounder was vehemently opposed to the idea, stating that teams would find loopholes in the law to get fresh players in whenever there is a slight the Manchester Test match, Rishabh Pant fractured his right toe while batting on Day 1 of the game. Pant was retired hurt on Day 1 but was forced to come out to bat on Day 2 of the game given India's precarious was allowed a replacement for his wicketkeeping duties according to the law. Dhruv Jurel kept the wickets in his absence, just like he had done in the Lord's Test match. However, the Indian team essentially was left with one less batter in the second innings of the match. The Indian team informed that Pant, despite being on crutches, would come out to bat if needed. Fans questioned the laws of the game, asking how a player could bat or field with a broken toe?India head coach Gautam Gambhir supported the argument, batting in favour of injury replacements."Yes - if there's an external injury or serious concern, I fully support having a substitute. Especially in a series like this, if someone's visibly injured, there's nothing wrong with making a change. In a long series like this, you can't be forced to play with just ten players," Gambhir however, was not a fan and called out the suggestion. Stokes said the rule would end up having too many loopholes and would end up being exploited by teams across the board."I think it's absolutely ridiculous that there's a conversation around an injury replacement," Stokes said. "I think that there would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your 11 for a game; injuries are part of the game. I completely understand the concussion replacement: player welfare, [and] player safety. But I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straightaway," Stokes said in the post-match press conference."If you stick anyone else with an MRI scanner, a bowler is going to show, 'Oh yeah, you've got a bit of inflammation around your knee. Oh sweet, we can get another fresh bowler in'. I just think that conversation should be shut down and stopped," he India did not need Rishabh Pant to bat in the final innings of the game. Superb hundreds from Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja helped India draw the Test match, after fighting for 143 will now travel to London, where the final Test of the series starts on July 31.- Ends


News18
23 minutes ago
- News18
'Ben Stokes Behaved Like Spoiled Kid': Sanjay Manjrekar Schools Jonathan Trott After Handshake Controversy
Ben Stokes expressing his frustration at India not taking his offer of a draw has been criticised. Was Ben Stokes' reaction justified after India turned down his offer for draw on Sunday? The England Test captain is facing the heat for indulging in an animated discussion with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar after his handshake for a draw was refused with the 4th Test all but confirmed to end in a draw at Old Trafford. Jadeja and Sundar were inching closer to their respective hundreds when the offer was made but they decided to bat on. Stokes then called-up part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root presumably to give his first-choice bowlers some rest given the way the contest was headed to. The two Indian batters duly reached their centuries before shaking hands with the English players to confirm the Test has ended in a draw. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar criticised Stokes for behaving like a 'spoiled kid". 'Ben Stokes behaved like a spoiled kid," Sanjay Manjrekar said during a post-match show on JioHotstar. Former England batter Jonathan Trott, who was also part of the show, defended the response. 'Common practice in England, and Ben Stokes' mentality is that there are no personal milestones. If you get offered to end game earlier, it's taken," Trott said. Manjrekar was quick to remind his fellow panelist that the world doesn't follow English way of cricket. 'Trott comes from a different culture. Whole world doesn't play as per English way of cricket," he said. Trott may have sided with Stokes but former England captain Nasser Hussain didn't have any problem with India continuing despite the offer. 'I didn't have a problem with it. England seemed to have a problem with it. They were a bit tired, tired bowlers so they wanted to get off but two lads worked hard to get to 80s and 90s and they wanted to get Test match hundreds," Hussain said on Sky Sports. 'Stokes didn't have to bowl Brook and look silly at the end. We make far too much of these things. They played well and all credit to India," he added. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Big Ben and the art of the impossible
Ben Stokes (Getty Images) MANCHESTER: Purely in terms of numbers, Ben Stokes had endured an average series before arriving in Manchester. Figures of 5/72 with the ball and 141 runs with the bat in the first innings of the fourth Test here are more the kind of numbers that match his lofty reputation as an allrounder. But if one has closely followed the games, Stokes transcends stats. More than just being the premier fast-bowling allrounder in world cricket, Stokes has a job to do as captain of a bowling unit that is going through the throes of transition. This is when there have been doubts over his body being able to endure a heavy workload. Well, Stokes took the load and did all the heavy lifting to create magical spells of cricket right through the series. He has stood out as a leader. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Physically, mentally, and tactically, he has been a cut above the rest this summer. He has laid out plans and has been at the centre of the battlefield to execute them. His presence has elevated the standard of the series. In the build-up to the AndersonTendulkar Trophy, England men's team's managing director Rob Key had told TOI that the management doesn't see Stokes bowling the long and big spells that defined him as a fast bowler. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo It doesn't seem Stokes himself believed that line of thought. The dodgy knee at the age of 34 was always going to be a hurdle. But Stokes has run across every barrier that has come in his way. His ageing body, battered for over a decade now, is the last thing that could hold him back. The caretakers of English cricket were in awe of his herculean effort with the ball on the final day of the last Test at Lord's. But they were equally concerned about burning out their prime asset. Stokes himself conceded that coach Brendon McCullum asked him to stop after a point on the fourth evening at Lord's. He acknowledged it then but was having none of that on the fifth day. When he didn't bowl on the fourth evening here at Old Trafford, one may have started guessing if his body finally gave up. The same concerns started to resurface. India stay alive, England frustrated after draw; handshake drama at Old Trafford and more 'He loves bowling, he loves batting, he loves diving around in the field, sprinting and doing everything he can do. Being captain of the team, you want him playing as many games as possible. We need to see if we can somehow find a way to limit the number of overs he bowls in particular. Throughout the series, he hasn't necessarily bowled those mammoth spells like he did in previous times,' England's assistant coach Marcus Trescothick said after the fourth day's play on Saturday. Trescothick didn't want to divulge much, but he did hint at the team management holding Stokes back on Saturday evening because of the cramps and niggles he suffered due to the workload. On Sunday morning, Stokes had the ball first up in his hands and fired in eight overs on the trot. His batting form in the first three Tests was questionable. Yet, he kept himself in the game with the ball. He was the only bowler from the England team who asked persistent questions to the Indian batters. On the eve of the second Test at Edgbaston, Stokes bowled full throttle non-stop at a single stump for an hour. Little did anyone know that it would become a norm in an actual match when the series reached its business end. Stokes is someone who likes to keep moving the game forward. He makes things happen. He sets unusual fields, bowls unusual lines. Even in the flattest of conditions, he has not let the Indian batters breathe easy. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!