Ben Stokes is the No.1 all-rounder in the world, Shakib and Jadeja are second and third: Aakash Chopra

Ben Stokes showed glimpses of his potential during brilliant 176-run knock in the second Test against West Indies. The all-rounder, at Manchester, flaunted his resilience and stuck in the middle to stitch a crucial stand with Dom Sibley. Sibley (120) and Stokes (176) were the pivotal reasons behind England posting a massive 469-run total on the scoreboard.

Stokes reached his 10th, and slowest, Test century shortly after lunch but then immediately went on the attack with some majestic hitting to all corners of the ground. The left-hander struck 17 fours and two sixes, one of them being a magnificent and effortless shot over the long-on rope off Alzarri Joseph.

29-year-old Stokes was nearing his double ton before he was dismissed by Kemar Roach while attempting a reverse sweep. Stokes, while trying to play the shot, nicked the ball to Shane Dowrich behind the stumps.

Following the impressive 176-run knock of England’s Test vice-captain, cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has rated Stokes as No.1 all-rounder in the world across all three formats.

At this point in time, there is no doubt in my mind that Ben Stokes is the number one all-rounder in the world across all three formats. He has an average of 43 in Tests, 59 in ODIs over the last two years,” Aakash Chopra said on his Youtube channel.

Stokes has a good bowling average across all formats as well: Aakash Chopra

“He has a good bowling average across all formats as well, there is no doubt that Stokes is the number one all-rounder in the world across all formats,” Aakash added. Furthermore, Chopra picked former Bangladesh skipper Shakib-al-Hasan as the 2nd best and India’s Ravindra Jadeja as the 3rd best all-rounder in the world currently.

England, after declaring on 469-9, braced the field while aiming the level the three-Test series 1-1. Hosts England, in the first Test at the Ageas Bowl, has suffered a drubbing four-wicket defeat. The Men from the Caribbean, in the ongoing Test, had a shaky start as Sam Curran trapped John Campbell in the 10th over to leave the visitors on 32-1.

England will be hoping to clinch the Test series before they lock horns with Pakistan in three Tests and as many T20Is. This will be England’s second international assignment amid COVID-19 debacle, the three Tests against West Indies being the first.

Here’s the video: