IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes scripts history, becomes first player in 148 years to achieve THIS massive feat

Ben Stokes, the captain of England's Test team, is currently excelling in the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India, showcasing his skills with both bat and ball. In the first innings, he bowled 24 overs, taking five wickets for 72 runs, and also achieved a century for the Poms. This century and five-wicket haul in the ongoing Test have secured his place in the history books. He is the first England captain in 148 years to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test.

England's first-ever Test match took place in March 1877 against Australia in Melbourne. Over the past 148 years, 82 players have captained the Poms in 1088 Tests, but Stokes stands out as the first skipper to score 100 and take a fifer in the same Test.

Before Stokes, four captains—Denis Atkinson (West Indies), Garry Sobers (West Indies), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), and Imran Khan (Pakistan)—had achieved the feat of scoring a century and taking a five-wicket haul in the same Test.

Overall, Stokes is the fourth English cricketer to accomplish this, following Tony Greig, Ian Botham, and Gus Atkinson. He is also the seventh cricketer, after Collie Smith, Garry Sobers, Bruce Taylor, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, and Roston Chase, to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test against India.

Ben Stokes also became only the third player in Test history to achieve the double of 7,000 runs and 200 wickets. He joins an exclusive club alongside cricketing legends Sir Garry Sobers of West Indies and Jacques Kallis of South Africa. This truly highlights his immense contribution as a world-class all-rounder.

In addition to Stokes, Joe Root also made a significant contribution by scoring a century (150) for the hosts in the ongoing Test, making him the second-highest run scorer in Test cricket.

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