2022 was a year to remember for allrounder Ben Stokes, who led the England Test side with aplomb and distinction (to say the least), since he took over a struggling Joe Root from the role.
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The Durham allrounder has lost just one of the ten Tests since he has skippered the side in June 2022. The team’s famous ‘Bazball’ approach has as if blown new life to the Test format, with the unit led by him having people’s undivided attention ahead and during every Test they play these days.
If this was not it, Stokes even played a match-winning innings during the grand finale of the T20 World Cup a couple of months ago, to help his side lift the prestigious title only for the second time in history.
However, the 31-year-old’s journey towards the top has been far from being a smooth ride, and has been a one dominated with controversies, carelessness, and regrets.
An angry Ben Stokes punched a locker and missed the T20 World Cup in 2014
One of such freak incidents in his cricketing career took place in the year 2014, ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
An out-of-form Stokes had managed to notch-up scores of 5, 4, 0, and 4 in the limited-Overs tour of West Indies in February-March 2014. With the third and final T20I left to be played in the tour, Stokes was dismissed on a first-ball Duck off Krishmar Santokie to end the series in the worst-possible note.
A frustrated, angry Stokes punched a locker in the dressing room post this dismissal and consequently broke his wrist. The damage done was enough to rule him out of the imminent T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
“I am really disappointed to be missing out on going to a World T20 with England,” Stokes said upon being ruled out. “It was a huge error in judgement following a frustrating tour for me and I deeply regret my behaviour. I would like to wish the team all the very best in Bangladesh.”
