"English cricket is well and truly alive because of one cricketer" - X reacts to Ben Stokes' superb 141-run knock in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test 

England captain Ben Stokes shone with the bat in his team's first innings of the ongoing fourth Test against India. The southpaw notched up his 14th Test ton, finishing with a glorious 141-run knock from 198 deliveries at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Stokes' stunning batting exploits helped England register a massive 669-run score in response to India's first innings total of 358. The left-handed batter crossed the 100-run mark on Day 4, ending a two-year Test century drought.

The 34-year-old played some spectacular shots during his stay at the crease, hitting 11 fours and three sixes. He was instrumental in the hosts claiming a huge 311-run lead.

It is worth mentioning that Stokes has produced an exemplary all-round performance in the clash. Earlier in the match, he picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in the format.

Stokes became the fourth player from England to score a century and bag a five-for in the same match. He garnered widespread praise on social media for following up his fantastic bowling performance with an outstanding knock.

Here are some of the top reactions on X:

"English Cricket is well and truly alive because of one cricketer and that cricketer is Ben Stokes," wrote a fan. "Uptill now in this series. Stokes has an average more than yashasvi jaiswal in batting. And an average less than bumrah in bowling. He is showing why he is considered one of the best AR of the generation," remarked a fan. "7,000 Test runs and 14 Test match hundreds. A century and 5 wickets in the same match for the first time. This is reminiscent of Imran's iconic aura of the 80s. You can label him in whatever box, but Ben Stokes is clutch. The more you doubt him, the stronger he rises," commented another. "Ben Stokes isn’t just making records—he’s making history. What a player," chimed in yet another.

It is worth mentioning that during his knock, Stokes crossed the 7000-run mark in Test cricket. He became the third player to amass more than 7000 runs and pick over 200 wickets in the format.

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Ben Stokes and Joe Root's centuries propel England into a commanding position in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

England produced a brilliant batting performance, with Joe Root and Ben Stokes being the top contributors. Root was the top performer with the bat for the hosts, scoring 150 runs from 258 balls.

Their top order batters also made a significant impact, as Ben Duckett (94 off 100 balls), Zak Crawley (84 off 113 balls) and Ollie Pope (71 off 128 balls) hit impressive half-centuries.

Brydon Carse chipped in with a quick 47-run cameo in 54 deliveries. The hosts claimed a commanding position in the encounter with a huge lead.

For India, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar took two scalps apiece. Notably, it is a must-win fixture for the hosts as they trial 1-2 in the five-match series.

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Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai