Listing England players with the most POTM awards in Tests
What's the story
England captain Ben Stokes put on an impressive all-round display in the fourth Test match against India at Old Trafford. He took five wickets for 72 runs in the first innings and followed it up with a century (141 off 198 balls). His efforts helped him win the Player of the Match award in the drawn Test. On this note, let's look at the England players with the most POTM awards in Tests.
#3
Ben Stokes - 12 awards
The one at Old Trafford was Stokes's 12th Player of the Match award in Test cricket. The game also saw Stokes become only the third all-rounder with the double of 7,000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. Across 115 Tests, Stokes has raced to 7,032 runs at 35.7 as the tally includes 14 tons and 35 fifties. With the ball, he has taken a total of 230 wickets at 31.65 (5W: 5).
#2
Ian Botham - 12 awards
With his latest accomplishment, Stokes equaled legendary all-rounder Ian Botham in terms of POTM awards in Tests. The latter played 102 Tests in his celebrated career and scored 5,200 runs at a decent average of 33.54. 14 of his 36 50-plus scores were converted into hundreds. With his right-arm pace, Botham claimed 383 scalps at 28.40. He claimed 27 fifers and four 10-wicket match hauls.
#3
Joe Root - 13 awards
Joe Root tops this elite list, having received the POTM award 13 times in his Test career. The second-highest run-getter in Test history, Root has raced to a total of 13,409 runs across 157 Tests at 51.17. He has tallied 38 tons and 66 fifties in the format. He has 104 scores of 50 runs or more. Only India's Sachin Tendulkar is ahead of him with a staggering 119 50-plus scores in Tests.