Ben Stokes now sits along Sobers and Kallis: Is he the greatest all-rounder of this generation?

England’s captain Ben Stokes has achieved something really special in the world of cricket. He has become only the third player ever to score over 7,000 runs and take more than 200 wickets in Test matches, a feat previously accomplished only by legends Jacques Kallis and Garfield Sobers.

Stokes, who went to 229 test wickets with his 72/5 in the first inning, came to bat in the first inning of the England vs India, fourth test in Manchester with 6891 test runs in his career. Stokes needed only 109 runs to become the third player to score over 7,000 runs and take more than 200 wickets.

Ben Stokes' test career so far

Since making his Test debut in 2013, Stokes has played 115 matches and scored 7,032 runs, with an impressive highest score of 258. His batting average of 35.69 includes 14 centuries, showing his ability to make big contributions with the bat. Termed as the 'Superman' by English fans, Stokes has taken 229 wickets so far, with a bowling average of 31.63, and has five five-wicket hauls to his name. His best bowling performance came when he took 6 wickets for just 22 runs.

To put this in perspective, Jacques Kallis, who played for South Africa from 1995 to 2013, scored over 13,000 runs at an average above 55 and took 292 wickets. Meanwhile, Garfield Sobers of the West Indies played fewer matches but still scored over 8,000 runs with a fantastic average nearing 58, plus 235 wickets.

His all-round skills have earned him global recognition, including awards like Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World and ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year. Since becoming England’s Test captain in 2022, Stokes started the era of fearless cricket, where he has made Test cricket more competitive and entertaining.

Players with 7,000 runs and 200 wickets in Test matches