Ben Stokes Turns Hero Amid Controversy, Equals Ian Botham's Record with Stunning All-Round Show

England captain Ben Stokes may be under fire from Indian fans for his controversial call to end the Manchester Test early, denying Washington Sundar a chance to complete his century. But amid the criticism, Stokes let his performance do the talking—and what a performance it was.

Despite England missing out on a win in Manchester, Stokes was named Player of the Match for his phenomenal all-round display. He picked up 5 wickets for 72 runs and then hammered a majestic 141-run knock, leading from the front and nearly guiding his team to victory. This was his second consecutive standout performance after playing a key role in England’s win at Lord’s, where he scored 77 runs and claimed another five-wicket haul.

Equals Ian Botham’s Record

This was Stokes’ 12th Player of the Match award in his Test career—putting him on par with legendary England all-rounder Ian Botham. If Stokes wins the award again in the upcoming Oval Test, he will hold the record for the most Player of the Match awards by an English all-rounder. Overall, only Joe Root is ahead with 13 such awards.

Strong Contender for Player of the Series

Stokes is also in the race for Player of the Series honors. While Shubman Gill leads the run charts with 722 runs, Stokes has made a powerful case by contributing 304 runs and taking a series-leading 17 wickets. His impact with both bat and ball has been unmatched so far.

As the teams head to the final Test at the Oval starting July 31, Team India will need to bring their A-game not just to level the series, but also to prevent Stokes from running away with both the Test and the series honors.