England all-rounder, Ben Stokes, has been named as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. Stokes, who took over from Joe Root as captain of the England Test team, led the squad to several victories in the year, including against New Zealand and South Africa, as the team bounced back from a string of losses that stretched over a year. 

Stokes’ contribution to the team precedes his recent rise to captain of the team. In the past, he has been very instrumental in England’s victories, which gave rise to him becoming the vice captain of the team. As the vice captain, Stokes was always available to fill in for captain Root whenever he was not available.

Stokes was part of the fundamental changes England made to their Test squad last year. He, together with the new head coach Brendon McCullum, revamped a team that had just 1 win in 17 matches, restoring the glory of the team again. It is no surprise that the ICC said Stokes: “defined the year of Test cricket more than any other”. 

The highlight of Stokes’ captaincy was leading England to a 3-0 series win over Pakistan in England’s second visit to the country in over a decade. 

By winning the award, Stokes become the third England player to be named as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. He was also named alongside some of his teammates in the Men’s Test Team of the Year for 2022. 

Overall, Ben Stokes’ performances in Test cricket in 2022 was quite outstanding, and he fully deserves to be named as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. He is a vital player for England and will undoubtedly continue to be so in the future.

Leon Osamor