Ben Stokes Explained: England's Greatest Modern Allrounder and Bazball Captain
How a left-handed batting allrounder from Christchurch became England's most celebrated modern cricketer — the hero of the 2019 World Cup final and the 2019 Headingley Ashes, and the captain who transformed England's Test cricket with 'Bazball'.
Ben Stokes (born 4 June 1991 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a left-handed batting allrounder and right-arm medium-fast bowler who captained England in Test cricket from April 2022 until retiring from international cricket in June 2026. He is England's greatest modern allrounder and one of the most match-winning cricketers of his generation — a player whose individual performances in the highest-pressure situations repeatedly changed the course of matches and series in ways that no other England player of the modern era matched.
2019 Cricket World Cup Final
Stokes's innings in the 2019 Cricket World Cup final is among the most celebrated in cricket history — 84 not out off 98 balls in a run chase that went to a Super Over and ultimately decided on boundary count. His diving at the crease that produced a controversial overthrow four, his ice-cold concentration as wickets fell around him, and his presence in the Super Over as England's nominated batter made him the central figure in the most dramatic day in modern ODI cricket history. England's first World Cup win was fundamentally built on Stokes's individual courage.
2019 Headingley Ashes Miracle
In the third Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019, England were set 359 to win — the highest successful run chase in England's Ashes Test history. When the ninth wicket fell, England still needed 76 runs. Stokes scored an unbeaten 135 in partnership with last man Jack Leach (who contributed 1 run off 17 balls), steering England to an improbable one-wicket victory. The innings is considered one of the greatest in England Test cricket history — executed under the most extreme pressure, against a high-quality Australian bowling attack.
Bazball: Transforming England's Test Cricket
Stokes became England's Test captain in 2022, appointing Brendon McCullum as coach — together introducing the 'Bazball' philosophy of aggressive, high-risk Test cricket. England began chasing large fourth-innings targets that previous teams would have settled for draws on; batting at strike rates that were previously associated with T20I rather than Test cricket; and declaring victory in series that started from behind on points. Bazball transformed England's Test cricket from reliable underachievement to bold, watchable, winning cricket that became the most discussed development in Test cricket of the early 2020s.
Durham and County Cricket
Stokes plays county cricket for Durham — a relatively young first-class county (Durham received first-class status in 1992) that has nonetheless produced a disproportionate number of England players. He has been central to Durham's identity in county cricket even as his international commitments have limited his county appearances: when Stokes plays for Durham, it is one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the county cricket calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Ben Stokes?
Ben Stokes (born 4 June 1991, Christchurch, New Zealand) is England's Test captain and greatest modern allrounder — a left-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler. He is famous for his 84* in the 2019 World Cup final, his 135* at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes, and for introducing the 'Bazball' aggressive Test cricket philosophy as captain.
What is 'Bazball' cricket?
Bazball is the aggressive Test cricket philosophy introduced by captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum from 2022 — attacking batting at every position, chasing large fourth-innings targets, and playing Test cricket as a team that attacks rather than defends. The name comes from McCullum's nickname 'Baz'.
What is Ben Stokes's most famous innings?
His 135 not out at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes — when England needed 76 more runs with their last wicket partner (Jack Leach, who scored 1 off 17 balls) to win a Test requiring 359 runs in the fourth innings. The one-wicket victory is considered one of the greatest innings in England Test cricket history.