Stokes hailed for impact with ball on final day of Old Trafford Test despite fitness issues: 'So ridiculously clutch'

India found themselves on the back foot at lunch on the final day of the fourth Test against England in Manchester on Sunday. The visitors, after all, found themselves four down with 223 on the board, needing another 88 runs to avoid an innings defeat and force England to bat for a second time at Old Trafford.

It wasn’t so much the loss of two wickets that was concerning for the visitors but the dismissals of the two set batters who had steered the team to safety at close of play on Saturday with an unbroken 174-run partnership. KL Rahul was the first to fall on Sunday morning, missing out on his century by 10 runs. Captain Shubman Gill did bring up his fourth century of the ongoing series, but couldn’t last till the end of the session, falling for 103 shortly before lunch.

Stokes delivers with the ball yet again despite fitness issues

Ben Stokes has been the standout player in the last couple of games, taking both teams into account, and on Day 5 in Manchester, he delivered yet again for his team by breaking the mammoth third-wicket partnership between Rahul and Gill, trapping the former LBW.

And what made the spell from the England captain even more admirable was the fact that he was able to make an impact with the ball despite not being a hundred per cent fit.

The all-rounder was forced to walk off due to a suspected hamstring issue while batting on Day 3, although he did return to the crease later and ended a lean run with the bat by bringing up his 14th Test hundred which, together with his five-wicket haul in the first innings, put him in an elite category of players.

Also Read | Ben Stokes continues to bend the game to his will, serves another reminder of his ability as a rare all-round talent

Stokes had decided against bowling on the penultimate day of the Test in order to avoid the risk of aggravating his injury further. However, he had the ball in hand at the start of the second over of the final day, fresh from a full night’s rest, and would bowl eight overs on the trot before being replaced by fellow pace-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes.

From former cricketers and other experts to fans, social media stood up and applauded Stokes as he served yet another reminder as to why he’s considered a once-in-a-generation cricketer.

Here are select reactions: