Flintoff played all forms of the game and was one of the sport's leading all-rounders, a fast bowler, middle-order batsman, and slip fielder. He was consistently rated by the ICC as being among the top international all-rounders in both ODI and Test cricket.
Following the Test series in South Africa in December 2004 and January 2005, Flintoff flew home for surgery on his left ankle, leading to worries he might not regain fitness in time for The Ashes.
In the Second Test against Australia at Edgbaston in August 2005, he broke Ian Botham's 1981 record of six sixes in an Ashes Test Match with five in the first innings, and a further four in the second innings: he scored 141 runs in total. In the same game he took a total of seven wickets (across both innings), including the wickets of Langer and Ponting in his first over in Australia's run-chase.
Flintoff scored a century during England's crucial win at Trent Bridge. He took five wickets on the fourth day of the final Test match, enabling England to go off for bad light and helping them eventually to secure a draw and regain the Ashes.
For his achievements throughout the 2005 Ashes series, he was named as "Man of the Series" by Australian coach, John Buchanan. His achievement also won him the inaugural Compton-Miller Medal. He was also awarded the Freedom of the City of Preston.
In March 2010, Freddie Flintoff became a team captain on the Sky One television sports panel show A League of Their Own, hosted by James Corden. In December 2010, Flintoff became a guest commentator during a number of matches in the 2011 PDC World Darts Championship event.
As of 2011 Flintoff was named as a brand ambassador for big men's fashion brand Jacamo and had his own range produced in 2012. In early 2011 he also became the face of Morrisons supermarkets.On 15 February 2015, Freddie Flintoff entered the first Australian series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, held in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Entering on Day 17 of the series, he was crowned "King of the Jungle" after winning the series on 15 March 2015 after spending 29 days in the jungle. He was also a commentator for Network Ten's Big Bash League coverage and appeared as a regular panellist on their current affairs show The Project.
In 2014, Freddie Flintoff started the Sky One TV series Flintoff: Lord of the Fries, touring around the UK exploring the places, people and food with co-host Rob Penn. The series was aired from 2015, the second series (2016) was titled "Freddie Fries again". In December 2016, Flintoff and Penn took the series to Australia titled "Freddie Fries Down Under" AKA "Freddie Down Under" with challenges along the way.