England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Thursday joined the ranks of cricket legends Garry Sobers of the West Indies and Jacques Kallis of South Africa by becoming the third player, and the first from England, to achieve the milestone of over 6,000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket.
Stokes reached this remarkable feat during the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s. He bagged his 200th Test wicket by dismissing batter Kirk McKenzie in his first over.
In his 103 Test matches to date, Stokes has taken 200 wickets and amassed 6,320 runs at an average of 35.30, including 13 centuries and 31 fifties, with a top score of 258.
In comparison, Garry Sobers achieved 8,032 runs and 235 wickets in 93 Tests, while Jacques Kallis accumulated 13,289 runs and 292 wickets over 166 Tests.
Stokes also stands out in international cricket overall. He is the sixth player and the first from England to have scored over 10,000 runs and taken 300 wickets across all formats. In 260 international matches, Stokes has scored 10,368 runs at an average of 35.75, with 18 centuries and 56 fifties, and a top score of 258. He recently completed his 300th wicket in international cricket.
Other players who have achieved the double of 10,000 runs and 300 wickets in international cricket include West Indies all-rounder Carl Hooper, Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan.