Ben Stokes breaks Virat Kohli's three-year winning run; named Wisden's leading cricketer of the year 2019

2019 was an memorable year for Ben Stokes. After having a tough year in 2018 where most of his time was marked with controversies, Stokes found his feet perfectly in 2019. Apart from playing a crucial role in England‘s success, the southpaw held the team together whenever it was required. Not only in the ODI format, but also in the Tests. Whenever England was under pressure, Stokes was right up there to revive the team.

During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, he scored 465 runs and picked up seven wickets. This also included an unbeaten knock of 84 runs which helped England tie the final at Lord’s. He then went on to bat in the Super over as well to help his score 15 runs.

Few weeks after his fantastic knock at Lord’s, Ben Stokes played another blinder, and this time it was in the Ashes Test at Headingley. He scored a fantastic 135* and single-handedly won England the match keeping them alive in the series. It was credited as one of the best innings of all-time.

On Wednesday, he won the Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year 2019 and also became the first England cricketer to do so since 2005 according to Evening Standard. With this, the England all-rounder also broke the jinx of the Indian captain Virat Kohli. The Indian stalwart had claimed the award three consecutive years in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The last English player to win the award was Andrew Flintoff, who got the award after his fantastic performance in the 2005 home Ashes.

Wisden also announced the top five players of 2019

The top five players’ list revealed by Wisden had Jofra Archer in it who bowled the most significant Super over in the final of the World Cup last year. Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne, two of Australia’s superstars during their home summer, were the other two top cricketers in the list.

South African off-spinner Simon Harmer, who helped Essex club to win the T20 and first-class county competition in 2019, was also named in the top 5 list. Among Women, all-rounder Ellyse Perry was honoured as the top player as she made it to the top five players of 2019.

As far as Ben Stokes is concerned, he won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List and was also named the ICC Player of the year for his heroics last year.