If anyone could prove that a player’s value is more than statistics it is Ben Stokes. With a batting average of 36 and a bowling average of 32, the numbers on paper do not look the greatest and may not be common for a player who is heading into his 100th Test.

Ben Stokes though, a little like the legendary Ian Botham has shown that his impact comes when England needs it the most. From the onset of his career, Ben Stokes has been a proven tough competitor with some spectacular performances in all three aspects of the game.

With the bat, no game seems to be close to finishing while Ben Stokes is out in the middle. In Test Cricket alone he has proved that he could make a difference on a numerous occasions. From the onset of his career when he took on a raging Mitchell Johnson, who was traumatizing the Englishmen back in 2013-2014, Ben Stokes the figheter was on show.

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His first century in that fighting knock at Perth was a sample of what was to come in his very second Test. Batting on a severely cracked pitch against Mitchell Johnson and an Australian attack who were torturing the English batters, Ben Stokes countered beatifully. He finished that tour as one of England’s finds in what turned out to be a disastrous series.

Showing incredible potential, Ben Stokes had his struggles in between, missing the next Ashes down under four years later after an off-field alteraction. Stokes though returned and continued to prove that no game is complete with him in the middle. His Headingly knock is one which needs no description. With 80 odd needed and only one wicket in hand, Ben Stokes, who had a wonderful summer proved again that he is can be a superhuman.

While the Headingly knock will go down as one of his if not his best knock, Stokes does have another which will probably be all the more special but may not attain Headingly status. In the recently concluded Ashes, Ben Stokes first as captain, the all-rounder had the Australians shivering once again at the home of cricket, Lords.

After a controversial dismissal by Alex Carey to get rid of Jonny Bairstow the knives were out. It was Ben Stokes left with four number elevens with England almost 180 runs away from the target. Ben Stokes though did not hesistate to take on the short-ball barrage from Australia. He hit a total of nine sixes and looked to single-handedly take the game away yet again. He was dismissed for 155 but for an hour he had the Australians worried, highlighting what his presence can do on the field.

His bowling, another aspect which has been nothing short of brilliance when needed speaks more than his numbers. From bowling marathon spells with a bad knee, to being England’s fastest bowler for a brief period Ben Stokes has done his work with the ball. When England need a bouncer barrage he is most often the one they turn to.

Despite his workload, Ben Stokes refuses to slow down as well. An instance of his courage would be when England toured the West Indies after the 2022 Ashes. Joe Root’s captaincy tenure was coming to an end but Ben Stokes refused to head into the sidelines. In the dying stages of the Test match, Ben Stokes kept bowling and did not allow for a bowling change as he maintained an incredible level of pace and intensity in the dying stages of a exhausting Test match.

His captaincy tenure is another highlight and has turned the English team around. When Joe Root was struggling, Ben Stokes looked an unlikely option but was also the only option with the side very unsettled. Ben Stokes put his hand up and delivered, transforming the English side. By transformation though, Ben Stokes did not go about changing players. He instead changed the mindset of the ones who were already in the squad.

He brought back veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who were briefly dropped the Ashes down-under. With the bat, he backed his set of players and allowed everyone to play in the manner that best suited them. Tactically he kept pushing but he also kept giving his players the freedom and cushion to fail in order to fidn success.

His field placings and the way he uses himself further display his mindset as a captain. With his knee surgery done, the athleticsm of old seems to be coming back with his run-out of Jadeja proof that he is still a monster in the field.

He is one who never shies away from the challenge. His Test career though briefly threatened to derail in 2017 during the Bristol incident. Stokes though came back a transformed person and is now hours away from a milestone 100th Test. His career has been defined by soem incredible knocks, his revolutionary captaincy and some game-changing 3-wicket spells. His captaincy in particular will go down as one to remember with Stokes proving that aggression is more with the mindset than with technqiue.

rage of 32, Ben Stokes on paper does not have the greatest numbers.