England would have suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat in the 2021-22 Ashes Down Under, had Ben Stokes not stepped up in the final innings of the Sydney Test. The otherwise aggressive batter showcased resilience and played a patient knock, scoring 60 off 123 balls.
While most England batters had a forgettable time in the 2013-14 Ashes, a young Stokes rose to the occasion. Chasing 504 in the Perth Test, England lost four wickets inside 121 runs as Stokes arrived to bat. The batter showcased remarkable resilience and smoked his maiden Test ton (120 off 195 balls).
Another Ben Stokes special came at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium during Ashes 2019. England were reduced to 3/64 in their second innings when the the lanky batsman arrived in the middle. Stokes, who could only manage 13 in England's first innings, batted with remarkable intent and scored runs all over the park. He scored an unbeaten 165-ball 115 as the contest ended in a draw.
Just over a month after winning the 2019 World Cup, England registered their then-highest-ever run-chase in Test cricket (now second-highest). England were down to 286/9 in a chase of 359. Stokes then shared a 76-run stand with Jack Leach, driving England to a historic victory. The star all-rounder smashed an unbeaten 135, the fourth-highest score for England in a fourth-innings win.
Stokes arrived in the middle after England were reduced to 45/4 in the final session on Day 4. He added 132 runs with Ben Duckett to take England past 170. However, England then lost both Duckett and Jonny Bairstow in quick succession. Stokes didn't slow down and added 108 runs with Stuart Broad (11).Josh Hazlewood eventually dismissed him to seal Australia's win.
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