England's red-ball captain Ben Stokes joined an elite list of players featuring Sir Garfield Sobers, and Jacques Kallis among others when he caught an aerial drive from Australia's wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey while standing at the short cover position on Friday, July 29.
Stokes became only the fourth player in the history of the sport to score 5000 runs, snare 150 wickets and grab 100 catches in Test cricket. Having already scaled the 5000-run mark and the 150 Test wickets summit, the English skipper was one away from taking 100 catches in the longest format of the game and the landmark moment arrived in the 68th over of Australia's innings.
England's Joe Root bowled one shorter and wider of off and enticed Carey, who threw the kitchen sink at it but only managed to find Stokes waiting in anticipation for an opportunity to come his way.
Stokes, 32, has already scored over 6000 Test runs in 96 games, including 13 centuries and 30 half-centuries at an average of 36.57. He has also bagged 197 wickets, including four 5-wicket hauls and eight 4-wicket hauls to his name at an average of 32.07.
The eminent set of individuals that he has joined boast of jaw-dropping numbers in the longest format of the game. Sir Garfield Sobers, the great West Indian allrounder amassed 8032 Test runs in a career that spanned over two decades at an impressive average of 57.78. He also hit 26 tons and 30 half-centuries in his career. In addition to that the player from the Caribbean snared 235 scalps in Test matches.
Another English legend who is a part of the elite list is former captain Ian Botham. Botham was one of the influential players of his time and aggregated over 5000 runs and claimed 383 wickets in Tests.
The other player who is a part of the list happens to be South Africa's legendary allrounder, Jacques Kallis. Kallis' ended his Test career with extraordinary numbers. He accumulated over 13000 runs and picked up 292 wickets while playing for the Proteas.
