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

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

Player Runs Wickets Gary Sobers (West Indies) 8032 235 Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 13289 292 Ben Stokes (England) 7000* 229*

Captains with 100 & fifer in same Test

Player Opponent Venue Year Denis Atkinson (WI) Australia Bridgetown 1955 Garry Sobers (WI) England Leeds 1966 Mushtaq Mohammad (PAK) West Indies Port of Spain 1977 Imran Khan (PAK) India Faisalabad 1983 Ben Stokes (ENG) India Manchester 2025

Also Read | Ben Stokes completes 11,000 runs in international cricket

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