Captain’s Majestic Ton Solidifies England’s Dominance. Old Trafford Witness to a Crucial Innings That Shifts Momentum
July 26, 2025: Ben Stokes, the captain of England, scored his first Test century in two years against an Indian bowling side that was tired. People at Old Trafford went crazy. This tough hundred is more than simply a personal win; it underlines that England is obviously in charge of the fourth Test.
Ben Stokes eventually gets a century after not getting one for two years. Captain’s Knock was a tough one. Stokes, the all-around player who never gives up, got his 14th Test hundred against India with the same determination he always had. Everyone cheered for every run and every boundary. He got over a minor scare from cramping on Day 3 and overcame the Indian bowlers. This was a captain’s innings, a lesson in how to be strong that put a lot of pressure on Shubman Gill’s team, who were getting outplayed more and more on a pitch that didn’t seem to aid them much.
You can’t say enough about how important this hundred is. Stokes showed again that he was a great hitter, even though he thought his bowling was better than his batting. This century is even more impressive because it came after he took five wickets in the same game, which was his first in eight years. This amazing double performance places him in a very small group. He is the fifth male captain in Test history to score 100 runs and take five wickets in the same game. Imran Khan, Mushtaq Mohammed, Garry Sobers, and Denis Atkinson were the other four.
Stokes celebrated his hundred as England’s score went beyond 600 runs. They were ahead of India’s first innings score of 358 by more than 250 runs. After Joe Root’s 150 and Stokes’ outstanding play, India has a lot of work to do. There are also big questions about whether they can stay in the series. The fans at Old Trafford gave the captain a standing ovation, which was a fitting way to honor a leader who was there for his team when they needed him most.