Stokes was born in New Zealand and moved to England when he was 12 years old. From a young age, his creativity was obvious. Stokes is an invaluable player for whatever team he plays for because he is an attacking left-handed batsman who can produce breakthroughs with the ball.
Ben Stokes has come a long way since making his one-day debut against Surrey in 2009 and helping England win their first World Cup in 2019. He is generally regarded as one of the new era’s most expressive all-rounders.
Records
In Tests, the fastest 250 (196 balls)
The most runs scored in a Test innings by a sixth-position batsman – 258 runs
In Tests, the most runs in the first session of the day – 130 runs
The highest sixth-wicket partnership in Test history. Against South Africa, he had a 399-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow.
In terms of balls faced, this is the second-fastest Match double hundred.
11 sixes is the second-highest total in a Test inning.
Awards and Accolades
In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Ben Stokes was named Man of the Final. In October 2013, he was also named Player’s Player of the Year at the Professional Cricketers’ Association Awards.
Career
Domestic Career
Stokes debuted for Durham in one-day cricket at The Oval in 2009. He also appeared in two youth tests against Bangladesh U19 in the same year. Stokes has been named to the Under-19 World Cup in 2019. It was against Marylebone Cricket Club that he made his first-class debut. He made his Championship debut for Durham against Essex in the same year. Against Nottinghamshire, he scored his first first-class century. Ben Stokes joined the Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash League in January 2015.
IPL Career
Stokes was purchased for Rs 14.5 crore by the Rising Pune Supergiants for the 2017 season. He hit his first T20 century against Gujarat Lions, scoring 103 not out. Stokes earned the Man of the Match award three times in 14 games during the 2017 season. Rajasthan Royals paid Rs 12.5 crores for Ben Stokes, making him the most valuable player in the 2018 IPL auction.
International Career
In 2011, Stokes made his One-Day International debut against Ireland. His next one-day international series was against India. Due to an illness that stopped him from bowling during the series, he was only selected as a batsman. Stokes did not play a single game for England cricket team in 2012 due to illness, loss of form, and other disciplinary problems. In the first ODI against the West Indies in 2014, Stokes was once again selected for the ODI team.
Stokes was named to the England squad for the series against India later that year. He was dropped after the first two games, but was recalled for the series finale, where he took three wickets and scored 33 runs. In the 2015 ODI series against New Zealand, he improved his bat and ball results. He took three wickets for 52 runs to help his team secure the series decider.
Stokes’ next ODI series was against South Africa, in which he scored half-centuries in both the first and third games. In the one-day international series against Pakistan, England’s batsman continued his fine form. In the 2016-2017 series against India, Stokes hit two fifties.
Ben Stokes was called to the ‘Team of the Tournament’ for his outstanding results in the 2017 Champions Trophy. The International Cricket Council (ICC) elected him to the World ODI Xi for 2017 and 2018. Ben Stokes was named to represent England in the 2019 World Cup in April.
Stokes was instrumental in England’s World Cup victory, especially in the final. Stokes scored 84 not out to help level the game, then batted again in the Super Over, tying the score once again, but England winning on the boundary count clause. The ICC assigned him to the Team of the Tournament.
In the second Test of the 2013-14 Ashes series, Stokes made his Test debut against Australia. He scored 120 off 195 balls in England’s second innings of the third Test of the series, his first Test century. Despite England’s whitewash, Stokes put in a good all-round display, scoring 279 runs and taking 15 wickets in the series. In 2014, Stokes’ next big Test series was against the Indian national cricket team. He was dropped from the side for the rest of the series due to his disappointing showing with the bat in the first two Tests.
Stokes was returned to the team for a tour of the Caribbean. Stokes’ success in the tournament was well short of expectations. Stokes was kept in the tea for the Test series against New Zealand despite his poor play. Ben Stokes scored the first Test century at Lord’s and the second fastest by an England batsman in the second innings of the first Test of the series. He only required 85 balls to cross the century mark. Stokes was named to the 2015 Ashes squad. England went on to win the series 3-2, despite his mixed showing in the series.
Stokes was also chosen for the UAE tour against Pakistan in the same year. Stokes had a good start to the season, making a half-century and taking four wickets in the first match. He injured his shoulder in the third and final contest. Ben Stokes eventually recovered from his injury and was picked for the 2015-16 South Africa season.
Stokes scored 258 runs off 167 balls in the second match of the series, his highest Test result. In addition, it was the second-fastest double century in Test cricket history. During the course of this innings, he shared a 399-run sixth-wicket partnership with Jonny Bairstow, which set a new world record. Both the third and fourth games of the series saw Stokes take five wickets.
Stokes was chosen to play in the Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2016. Stokes suffered an injury in the first match of the series against Sri Lanka and was ruled out for the remainder. Stokes was able to rebound and play in the second Test against Pakistan. In 2016-17, he played against India after this season. In the first Test against India, he hit a century. For the years 2016 and 2017, the ICC called him to the World Test XI.
Stokes showed his worth in the 2019 Ashes after a stellar performance in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He scored 135 not out while chasing a total of 359 runs to help England win the match from an almost certain defeat, bringing the series to a 2-2 tie.
In 2011, Ben Stokes made his T20I debut against the West Indies. He then appeared in two Twenty20 matches against New Zealand. Stokes was ruled out of the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup during punching a locker after a match against West Indies in 2014. In 2015, Stokes was a member of the squad for a one-off T20 match against New Zealand, in which he scored 24 runs and took two wickets.
In the two-match T20I series against South Africa in 2015-16, Stokes struggled to impress. Stokes was named to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup squad for 2016. In the early stages of the competition, Stoke had little impact. In the semi-final against the Kiwis, Stokes bowled well, taking three wickets for 26 runs. Ben Stokes was given the ball in the final over of the game to protect 19 runs. However, Carlos Braithwaite struck him for four straight sixes, and West Indies won the Cup.
Stokes featured in a one-off T20I against Pakistan and a three-match T20I series against India after the heartbreaking World Cup.
Family
Ben Stokes was born to Gerard and Deborah Stokes in Christchurch, England. His father played and coached rugby league. After his father was appointed head coach of Workington Town rugby league club, his family relocated to England. Stokes was born and raised in Cockermouth, where he began his cricket career with the Cockermouth Cricket Club. Ben Stokes and Clare Ratcliffe married in 2017 and have two twins, Layton and Libby.