Quite a whirlwind all-rounder on the field, a true fan of WWE, and having the mighty Kiwi blood in him, Ben Stokes is one of the formidable all-rounders of modern cricket. Became England’s hero in the 2019 World Cup final, as he guided England to their maiden WC win with his 84*. Stokes, the only English cricketer in history, has scored 400+ runs and taken more than 5 wickets in a World Cup.
In the same year, in the Ashes, Stokes notched up an astonishing 135* as England outstripped the target of 359. He played an intensive role in the 2019 Ashes, where England leveled the series. He is currently ranked second in the latest ICC Rankings for ODIs and Tests.
Here are some interesting facts about English all-rounder Ben Stokes:
Relationship with New Zealand
One of the most aggressive English allrounders, Benjamin Andrew Stokes was born on June 4, 1991, in Christchurch, New Zealand. He spent his childhood in New Zealand. Stokes was only 12 when his family moved to northern England in 2003.
Stokes’ father, Gerard Stokes was a rugby player and coach. In childhood, Stokes also played rugby but he has always fancied cricket. Around 2013, his family moved back to New Zealand but he continued his career with English cricket.
Tattoo-Tales
The flame-haired cricketer has inked different tattoos on his arms. The tattoo on his left arm reads: “Being the best that you can be is only possible if you desire to be a champion and your fear of failure is non-existent.”
Got inspired by Drake’s song “Shot for Me”, Stokes inked a phrase from the song on his right arm: “May people respect you, trouble neglect you, angels protect you, heaven accept you.”
Legacy in IPL
Kickstarted his Indian Premier League career in 2017. Rising Pune Supergiants roped him in for a whopping amount of Rs. 14.5 crore. In his debut season, he clinched the “player of the match” award three times. Ben Stokes smashed his maiden IPL century against Gujarat Lions. He remained unbeaten on 103 playing 63 deliveries.
In 2018, he made headlined as he became the highest auctioned player. Rajasthan Royals bought him for Rs. 12.5 crore. Since then, he is a Royal. This year, enduring a left-index injury he got ruled out of the IPL after playing a solitary game.
Establishment as an English Cricketer
Stokes made his One Day International debut for England in 2011 against Ireland. But due to his inconsistent form and discipline, England shunned him from their squads in 2012. Stokes was named as the player of the match in the 2019 world Cup final against New Zealand. Over the decades, after a rollercoaster rider, Stokes has become an integral part of the England squad in all three formats.
Stokes became the 658th player to represent the “Three Lions” in Test after his Ashes debut in 2013-14. Stokes was pivotal to enable the draw in the 2019 Ashes. He smashed a match-winning century at Lord’s in 2015 against New Zealand. In 2016, he paired Jonny Bairstow in Cape Town to bring up the highest sixth-wicket partnership in Test. They added 399 runs to the sixth wicket and Stoksey scored a record-breaking 258 off 198 runs.
Ingenious Nicknames
Stokes has received many nicknames from his friends and teammates for his association with different incidents. In 2014, he broke his wrist after punching in the locker to vent his anger. His teammates briskly named him Rocky.
The incident happened after he departed for a duck against West Indies in the ICC T20 World Cup. Alex Hales calls him and his fellow ginger mate the Weasley Twins.