The captaincy burden: Statistical data reveals Ben Stokes' dip in Test numbers since 2022

Ben Stokes' struggles after captaincy [Source: AFP Photo]

Ben Stokes, the England captain, was under fire before the Ashes for not delivering the goods against the Australian side, but Day 1 of the Perth Test turned into a nightmare as Stokes was cleaned up by a pearler from Mitch Starc. He played 12 deliveries and was dismissed for just 6 as the skipper couldn’t play a big knock.

Ever since becoming England captain, Stokes’ productivity as a batter has decreased and the southpaw has become a liability for his team. Perhaps the captaincy pressure has taken a toll on his batting as the Englishman looks a pale shadow of his former self.

Before becoming the Test captain in 2022, Stokes was a reliable batter, but things have changed since then. In this article, we will compare his Test numbers before and after becoming the captain.

Ben Stokes Test stats before 2022

(Stokes before captaincy)

• Before becoming the captain of the England Test team, Stokes had played 74 matches and had piled up 4732 runs, with an average of 36.12, and had 10 centuries to his name.
• He has nearly 5000 Test runs in 74 matches and was on his way to becoming England’s greatest Test all-rounder, as there was no captaincy pressure and Stokes played a free-flowing game of cricket.

Ben Stokes Test stats since 2022

(Stokes after becoming captain)

• After becoming the leader, he has led England in 41 Tests and while the batter has scored more than 2000 runs in Tests, his average has fallen to 34.85, as compared to 36.12 before captaincy.
• While the drop is not significant, but it showcases that Stokes has crumbled under a bit of pressure as the captain of the team. Interestingly, his Test stats has further dipped in the last two years.
• Since 2024, Stokes has averaged a meagre 31.55, and while the strike rate remains healthy (60), the consistency is somewhat missing.

What has led to Stokes' downfall since 2022?

• Under Stokes’ leadership, England have adopted an aggressive style of play called “Bazball”, nicknamed after their coach, Brendon McCullum. However, this high-risk, high-reward strategy has not fetched a reward for Ben Stokes.
• In a bid to play aggressively, Stokes has left his impeccable defensive technique behind, which made him a force in Test cricket. Now, he looks to play aggressively and that has led to his dismissals as opponents know England will play a one-dimensional brand of cricket.
• Plus, the captaincy pressure has also taken a toll on Stokes, with others flourishing under his leadership and the skipper failing to deliver the goods.

Final verdict

While Stokes still has decent numbers in Test cricket as a batter, in the last 3 years, the stats suggest that the all-rounder has crumbled under pressure and captaincy has become a burden as the desired results are not coming as a leader, and he, too, has failed to deliver as a batter.

---

ALSO READ

Steve Smith vs Archer, Stokes vs Starc! 5 biggest player battles for Ashes 2025-26

---