Manchester Test: ‘No one doubted his class,’ Ashwin lauds Stokes' 141 after ‘What has he achieved as a batter’ remark

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded England captain Ben Stokes for his first Test hundred this summer, and in two years, just days after questioning his batting credentials, barring the Headingley heroics in 2019. Stokes ended his dry run for a Test hundred with a brilliant 141 in the first innings at Old Trafford in Manchester, helping England take a 331-run lead over India in the fourth Test. Ashwin, who made headlines with his ‘what has he (Stokes) achieved as a batter’ remark during an online chat earlier during this series, replied to a social media post on X, explaining he never doubted Stokes’ class.

Although Ashwin did mention how long it took Stokes to pick up his latest five-for (in Tests) and complete a Test hundred, he explained what helped the English captain return to form, which helped England inch closer to a series win over India at home.

Replying to a social media post, which read, ‘Anna @ashwinravi99 this is Ben Stokes #BenStokes’ with four pictures of Stokes celebrating his 14th Test hundred, Ashwin wrote,

“Arrey sir ji, no one doubted his class! He got his first fifer after 2017 this game a hundred after 2 years!

This has come because of his traditional test match approach to batting and not the carefree one he had adopted before this.”

What did Ashwin say before?

Shortly after England fumbled in the run chase at Edgbaston, losing the game by 322 runs, Ashwin, speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’, criticised Stokes’ arrogance to chase 608, saying, "Ben Stokes is a fabulous player. I take my hat off to him. But we need to remember one thing. Barring that Headingley heroics in the Ashes, what has he achieved as a batter?"

"The readiness to play a Test match in the way a Test match needs to be played—that is the problem from the leadership standpoint. You are telling every batter to go and play an attacking brand of cricket, so you need to play like that only," he said.

England rule in Manchester

The hosts are all over the Indians in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, leading by 225 runs at tea on day four. After scoring 669 in their first innings, England removed Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and one-down batter Sai Sudharsan on zero on successive balls, leaving them 0/2 after the end of the first over.

KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill are currently at the crease, with Team India’s scorecard reading 86 for two.