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Crippled, Questioned But Crowned; Ben Stokes, The Bowling Workhorse, Is Reborn

Akshita Patel

The resurgence of Ben Stokes [Source: @englandcricket/X.com]The resurgence of Ben Stokes [Source: @englandcricket/X.com]

For much of the past two years, Ben Stokes, the heart and soul of England’s Test team, has spent more time on treatment tables than on cricket grounds. Hamstring and knee injuries plagued his movement, his rhythm, and at one point, even his identity as an all-rounder. 

The England management, in a bid to preserve their most valuable asset, chose to shield him from the physical toll of bowling, asking their skipper to play as a specialist batter. But for a player whose legacy is steeped in all-round heroics, whether at Headingley, Cape Town, or Lord’s, that transition felt unnatural. As the all-rounder took a backseat, so too did his form. 

Ever since his last hundred in the 2023 Ashes, his batting had seemed tentative, lacking the authoritative swagger that used to be his hallmark. With England's form declining and the momentum of matches getting away, whispers started to circulate. Is the captain running out of fuel? Had his fire waned?

But players like Ben Stokes do not fade quietly. When pride is at stake, when pressure peaks, and the situation demands defiance, he finds a way to rise. And in this summer’s Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India, Stokes found his spark once again, not in the nets, not in the press conferences, but under the looming clouds of Lord’s.

Adversity Flipped A Switch In Ben Stokes During Lord’s Test

Ben Stokes in Lord's [Source: @IMManu_18/X.com]Ben Stokes in Lord's [Source: @IMManu_18/X.com]

In the opening two Tests, Ben Stokes looked uncharacteristically muted, both in tactics and presence. India, led by a young but confident Shubman Gill, appeared to have the upper hand. But something shifted at Lord’s. A heated exchange between Gill and Zak Crawley lit the fuse. The fire that had been simmering inside Stokes was reignited.

Defending just 193 runs for victory on a pitch brimming with uncertainty, Stokes took matters into his own hands. He bowled a relentless 14-over spell across two days, then returned in the final session of Day 5 to deliver another 10-over burst, targeting India’s lower order with a barrage of short deliveries. The intensity, the snarling energy, the unwavering line, this was the Ben Stokes England had been yearning for.

His spell to Jasprit Bumrah, designed as much for psychological warfare as for wicket-taking, was the embodiment of leadership under pressure. England clawed their way to a thrilling win, and in the process, their captain had roared back to life.

A Lion Awakened In Lord’s Reached Its Zenith In Manchester

By the time the fourth Test in Manchester arrived, the spark had become a blaze. Ben Stokes was back in rhythm, back in charge, and bowling with plans as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel. With India’s openers putting on a strong 94-run stand, Chris Woakes broke the partnership, but it was Stokes who struck the decisive blow.

He exploited Gill’s weakness with incoming deliveries and trapped him in LBW dismissal on the very third ball he bowled to the visiting skipper.

Once again sensing trouble for England on Day 2, Stokes came in with a grinding spell, 10 overs of relentless hostility. Targeting India’s middle order with a mix of short-pitched venom and tactical brilliance, he clawed out a five-wicket haul, his first in Test cricket in over 8 years.

It wasn’t just a bowling performance. It was a masterclass in resilience and redefinition. It was Ben Stokes refusing to be boxed in by injury or expectation.

Ben Stokes: The Distinct Difference Between India’s Woes And England’s Revival

Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill at toss [Source: @englandcricket/X.com]Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill at toss [Source: @englandcricket/X.com]

As the series unfolds, one fact has become abundantly clear: Ben Stokes is the dividing line between India’s distress and England’s resurgence. At 34, his body may not be what it once was, but his mind remains sharp, his heart bold. He has now bowled more overs in this series than in any other in his career, outlasting younger, fitter bowlers with nothing but grit and responsibility.

His presence is suffocating, as opponents don’t just play Stokes, they endure him. While India’s young skipper Shubman Gill has often erred on the side of caution, Stokes’ offensive instincts have given England an unmistakable edge. His leadership is visceral. When a match begins to drift, he doesn’t wait; he intervenes. With a change in field, a fiery spell, or a word in the ear, he drags his team back into contention.

Ben Stokes may have been doubted, even written off in some corners, but he remains England’s emotional and strategic core. In a series where every moment matters, where inches separate triumph from defeat, it is Stokes who makes the difference, not just with bat or ball, but with belief.

India may start strong, but as long as Stokes is prowling in the field, they know the wall is moving toward them. A wonder-wall that bends, flexes, and rises, just when England needs it most.