Ben Stokes reverses his retirement from One-Day International cricket

England managing director of cricket Rob Key has praised Ben Stokes for his "selfless" decision to ignore the "financial implications" of retiring from one-day internationals.

Stokes will make his 105th and final ODI appearance at his Durham home ground against South Africa on Tuesday after taking his shock decision to quit the format 24 hours earlier.

Key's first act after being appointed was to hire Stokes as England's Test captain, but he knows the relentless fixture demands on top international players make it hard to feature in all versions of the game.

While the monetary terms of Stokes' central contract could come under review, Key feels England's Test and Twenty20 teams will stand to gain enormously from the all-rounder lightening his workload.

"It may well end up having financial implications to Ben Stokes in terms of his contract," Key told Sky Sports News.


"That's why it's a selfless decision, he could easily have said 'no, no, I'm the key' and kept getting picked in the 50-over team.

"But he wants to do the Test job as best as he can, he wants to take England's Test team forward.

"I was probably surprised at the timing but I'm not surprised that he's had to give one format away. I think it's a good decision from Ben that England will benefit from in the long term."

Key, who spoke to Stokes about his decision last Thursday, thinks the 31-year-old was also motivated by his desire to continue being a presence in both batting and bowling disciplines in the Test side.

England's Test form has been revitalised under Stokes and new red-ball coach Brendon McCullum.

Since the pair took charge, England have swept a three-Test series against New Zealand before defeating India in the final match of a Covid-delayed series.

"Him bowling is actually the thing he wants to be able to do, he doesn't just want to go and be a batter, he wants to be able to contribute as an all-rounder," Key said.

"To do that he feels this is the best way. I'm hoping and I'm betting that this is what gets him up to 120-plus Test matches."

© 2022 AFP
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An inspiration. A legend. A champion.<br><br>Thank you for everything, <a href="https://twitter.com/benstokes38?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benstokes38</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/OD1gc5OnxD">pic.twitter.com/OD1gc5OnxD</a></p>— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1549463695259930624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Hasn’t happened for him in white ball cricket this summer.

Back to Tests in a month or so :)
 
Watch the interview with Nasser, Stokes couldn’t even look him in the eye when he answered, his eyes were firmly glued towards the ground.

Body language suggests there is more to Stoke’s resignation from ODI than ‘fatigue’.
 
Watch the interview with Nasser, Stokes couldn’t even look him in the eye when he answered, his eyes were firmly glued towards the ground.

Body language suggests there is more to Stoke’s resignation from ODI than ‘fatigue’.

Stokes has hardly played any white ball for England in the last 6 months so this fatigue talk is nonsense.
 
England white-ball captain Jos Buttler hailed Ben Stokes as a "fantastic ambassador" and a "once-in-a-generation player" after his retirement from one-day international cricket.

Stokes, 31, ended his 105-match ODI career at his home ground in Durham on Tuesday and was given a terrific ovation after being dismissed for five against South Africa.

The all-rounder - who said a catalyst for his retirement was the "unsustainable" nature of a "jam-packed" cricketing calendar - scored 2,924 runs in ODI cricket, including three hundreds, and took 74 wickets with a best of 5-61 against Australia in September 2013.

Stokes' most memorable game in the format was the 2019 World Cup Final against New Zealand at Lord's when he hit an unbeaten 84 in a match England went on to win on boundary countback after a Super Over.

Speaking after England's 62-run defeat at Chester-le-Street, Buttler said of Stokes: "From myself and all England fans, we want to say thank you for everything he has done in this format of the game.

"Three years ago [the 2019 World Cup final] will live long in the memory but every day he turns up, whether that be for training or in a match, he puts in 100 per cent. He has been a fantastic ambassador for us in ODI cricket.

"We will miss him and it's bittersweet as an England fan. There's a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in this form of the game but our loss in ODI cricket is certainly going to be England's gain in Test cricket.

"That's his favoured format and his priority, especially now he's captain, and I'm sure it will give him much more longevity in the purest form of the game.

"People who play like Ben are once-in-a-generation players, so it's a good challenge for us [as an ODI side] to work out our best way forward as a team without him.

Former England captain Eoin Morgan, who stepped down from the role earlier this summer, hailed Stokes as a "true leader" and lamented the fact his fellow World Cup winner is leaving the ODI format at such a young age.

Morgan, who skipped England to World Cup glory three years ago, told Sky Sports Cricket: "England will miss his all-round contribution - on the field and in the changing room. Possibly more so in the changing room.

"He is a true leader who drags people with him and makes people better players by making them believe anything is possible.

"It was a huge pleasure to be able to take the field with him for such a long time and for him to retire from this form at 31 years of age is incredibly sad."

Stokes' England and Durham team-mate Mark Wood added: "I think Ben will go down as a legend in this format. He won the World Cup in 2019 and it's hard to forget that.

"He has put so much into it, he was one of the leaders in that group that really stood up for everyone.

"It's sad he didn't get a big score today but he was well appreciated by the crowd. It was great for him he got the ovation he did but it's a sad day. I'm sad that I won't play with him in this format again."

On how Stokes' ODI retirement, weeks after Morgan quit international cricket, will impact England's 50-over side, skipper Buttler added: "It certainly feels like a little bit of the changing of the times for us.

"We have to rebuild but at the same time we have fantastic players and others waiting to come back so I am very confident in the team.

"We're probably moving through a bit of a transition phase with Eoin going and Ben going. That's the natural cycle of teams.

"We have to find ways to give people opportunities to replace those guys. It presents chances for others to step up in different roles and take more responsibility."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...on-player-ben-stokes-after-his-odi-retirement
 
McCullum backs Ben Stokes' 'absolute positive' decision to retire from ODIs
England's Test coach Brendon McCullum views Ben Stokes' abrupt decision to retire from ODIs as an "absolute positive" but is not sure if this would become a trend for other players


England's Test coach Brendon McCullum views Ben Stokes' abrupt decision to retire from ODIs as an "absolute positive" but is not sure if this would become a trend for other players, given cricket's taxing schedule.

The 2019 Word Cup final hero Ben Stokes on Monday made a surprise announcement to retire from the 50-over format, saying playing three formats has become "unsustainable" for him.

"Yeah of course I am," McCullum told SENZ Breakfast when asked if he was happy with Stokes' decision.

He was asked if Stokes' move could become a trend for other players around the world.

"There are not too many all-format players," the former New Zealand captain said.

"He's probably in a luxurious position that he's able to do that, but also with the demands of the schedules and with his heightened schedule as Test captain, it would've become too much. He also has a young family and there's a lot going on.

"I don't know if it's symbolic of where the game itself is at around the globe, but I see it as an absolute positive to be honest.

"I'm looking forward to being able to spend even more time with 'Stokesy' trying to get this thing cracking."

It came as a shock to many given his age -- he is only 31 -- but McCullum looked at Stokes one-day retirement differently.

"Obviously we would've loved to see Ben Stokes playing in three forms of the game, he's an out and out superstar and we've seen what he's been able to achieve, but sometimes things have to give way and I look at it as a positive that he's going to have the time to really immerse himself in the Test side."

Stokes' ODI career will forever be remembered for his Player-of-the-Match performance in the World Cup final against New Zealand at the Lord's three years ago.

His unbeaten 84 helped to send the match into a Super Over as England claimed their first 50-over World Cup title in the most thrilling of circumstances.

McCullum said, "Stokes is the skipper of our Test side and the job that I've seen him do with this team in a very short period of time really excites me about what he can do with this side, particularly now that he'll have more available time rather than jumping from series to series to series.

"I guess England's a slightly different set-up to most other world cricket teams because they play a lot of cricket, they're a wanted commodity around the world and they're able to generate such a fan following and also the financial returns that the game requires to support 16 Counties and the big organisation that is English cricket."

Stokes, who succeeded Joe Root's as England's Test captain, scored 2919 runs in 104 ODIs and taken 74 wickets.

McCullum was happy that Stokes quit one of the white-ball formats to focus on the traditional format.

"I also think it's a real mark of respect of the man that he's sort of bucking the trend of the short version of the game and actually trying to focus on what he sees as a huge task trying to get Test cricket back to the levels, or even exceed the levels, that it's had in the past.

"I think it's a noble play from him," McCullum said.

https://www.business-standard.com/a...ision-to-retire-from-odis-122072200333_1.html
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&#55357;&#56803;️ "He's box office isn't he" <br><br>Faf du Plessis says Ben Stokes will be missed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHundred?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHundred</a> &#55357;&#56853; <a href="https://t.co/WskqwHB7Ph">pic.twitter.com/WskqwHB7Ph</a></p>— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyCricket/status/1554165292867244035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Retirements of Morgan and Stokes is a big blow for England.

As a matter of fact, England are no more favorites for 2023 World Cup.
 
Let's see if 'selfless' Stokes will skip IPL for next couple of years also so that he can focus on Tests.
 
Let's see if 'selfless' Stokes will skip IPL for next couple of years also so that he can focus on Tests.

Why should he continue skipping multiple paydays? He’s the test captain and is doing well.
 
Why should he continue skipping multiple paydays? He’s the test captain and is doing well.

There seems to be a strange obsession with players being expected to skip as many non-international tournaments as possible to prove their commitment in some way. It’s becoming a bit tiresome now.
 
Why should he let go possible big pay check from IPL to please hearts of bitter fans who can't digest his decision to leave odis.

He should play IPL or any t20 league of his choice as long as it's not affecting England's test schedule.

Ideally he should retire from t20 international post 2022 t20 wc as it's meaning less to stick around for t20 internationals post 2022wc.
 
There seems to be a strange obsession with players being expected to skip as many non-international tournaments as possible to prove their commitment in some way. It’s becoming a bit tiresome now.

Lots of kids in this forum who live off of their parents' paycheck and haven't had a real job in their life. No grown professional adult with a family would voluntarily not pursue better-paying job if available.
 
Ben Stokes: England Test captain feared he may never play again during mental health struggles

England Test captain Ben Stokes says he feared he may not play again during his mental health break from the sport.

All-rounder Stokes took a five-month break from cricket in 2021 to prioritise his mental wellbeing.

The 31-year-old suffered panic attacks after bottling up his emotions for several years.

"It was like I had a glass bottle I kept on throwing my emotions into. Eventually, it got too full and just exploded," Stokes told BBC Breakfast.

Stokes has had a difficult few years, first taking compassionate leave from cricket in 2020 to be with his father Ged, who died later that year from brain cancer.

He then broke a finger on his return to the sport and ultimately rushed to make a comeback to captain England's limited-overs teams after a Covid outbreak forced them to pick an entirely new squad in July 2021.

Following that series against Pakistan, Stokes took an indefinite break, returning for the Ashes in Australia in December 2021, and was appointed Test captain in April this year.

In a wide-ranging interview, Stokes discussed:

The long-term impact of the Bristol incident in 2017 which led to his being charged with affray
The death of his father, who had a huge impact on his career
Changing the conversation around mental health breaks
Stokes was speaking before his documentary - Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes - airs on Amazon Prime from 26 August.

'I'd give off this big tough northern lad bravado'
In the documentary, Stokes speaks openly about his struggles and says he wants to help change the narrative around mental health breaks.

"I did an interview where I'd give off this bravado of being a big tough northern lad with tattoos. I was like 'well, I am tough, but that doesn't mean that I can't struggle mentally'," he told the BBC.

"One of the more powerful things about that, that I notice from the film, was when [England pace bowler] Stuart Broad said he could see me not playing again.

"I had never spoken to Stuart about that through my time away. I spoke to him a lot through that period but just general chit-chat, nothing too serious.

"I had never said the words to him but the fact that he got that feeling was an eye-opener to me that at that time, things were quite bad."

Stokes said he was "annoyed" that negative connotations were drawn around his break when he was named Test captain earlier this year.

"It felt like people were saying I couldn't do the job because I decided to take a break last year," he said.

"I was like, 'what's that got to do with being England captain'? If anything, it shows that you can do anything, even if you have decided to take a break."

'Such a big inspiration to me had left the world'

Stokes' father was a former rugby league international for New Zealand, and his son credited him with "instilling in me what I am today".

"When he wasn't there, for him not be able to text me to say 'well done' - that just stopped and that was a reason as to why I ended up being where I was," Stokes explained.

"Such a big inspiration to me had left the world and left me. I had to then find what it was to get me going again, what my inspiration was.

"I was very proud to be able to share him with people and show what he means to me."

Stokes also said his father's influence is shaping him into the kind of cricket captain he wishes to be.

"I would never ask somebody to do something I would not do myself, and I have got that from him," he said.

"The fact that he was sat in a chair dying of cancer and he was worried about the effect on me, the fact that I am not going to spend much time with him... just thinking about other people is something that he has taught me."

'Bristol will still affect my life in future'
Stokes was found not guilty of affray in September 2018 following a fight near a nightclub in Bristol a year earlier. He was not selected by England for several months after the incident.

"My wife Clare makes a great point of saying that just because when the verdict came in, don't assume that was the end of that incident," he said.

"That Bristol incident will still have an effect on my life and on our lives in the future. Just an example - we're going to have to sit our kids down one day and explain what that was all about.

"As they get older, no doubt people will ask them about it and we don't want them to be in the dark about that and then to come home and ask about it."

Stokes played in a Test for England both before and after the trial, but says he struggled once he left the field at the end of the day.

"Being in the dressing room at the time was great, because I was around people," he added.

"The hardest bit was when the day had finished and I had gone back to my room. I didn't want to leave the hotel, I was just sat on my bed.

"Those periods for me were the loneliest and the hardest. For me that was the start of another part of that Bristol thing."

BBC
 
England Test captain Ben Stokes says he feared he might not play again during his mental health break from the sport.

All-rounder Stokes took a five-month break from cricket in 2021 to prioritise his mental wellbeing.

The 31-year-old suffered panic attacks after bottling up his emotions for several years.

"It was like I had a glass bottle I kept on throwing my emotions into. Eventually, it got too full and just exploded," Stokes told BBC Breakfast.

Stokes has had a difficult few years, first taking compassionate leave from cricket in 2020 to be with his father Ged, who died later that year from brain cancer.

He then broke a finger on his return to the sport and ultimately rushed to make a comeback to captain England's limited-overs teams after a Covid outbreak forced them to pick an entirely new squad in July 2021.

Following that series against Pakistan, Stokes took an indefinite break, returning for the Ashes in Australia in December 2021, and was appointed Test captain in April this year.

In a wide-ranging interview, Stokes discussed:

The long-term impact of the Bristol incident in 2017 which led to his being charged with affray
The death of his father, who had a huge impact on his career
Changing the conversation around mental health breaks

'I'd give off this big tough northern lad bravado'

In the documentary, Stokes speaks openly about his struggles and says he wants to help change the narrative around mental health breaks.

"I did an interview where I'd give off this bravado of being a big tough northern lad with tattoos. I was like 'well, I am tough, but that doesn't mean that I can't struggle mentally'," he told the BBC.

"One of the more powerful things about that, that I notice from the film, was when [England pace bowler] Stuart Broad said he could see me not playing again.

"I had never spoken to Stuart about that through my time away. I spoke to him a lot through that period but just general chit-chat, nothing too serious.

"I had never said the words to him but the fact that he got that feeling was an eye-opener to me that at that time, things were quite bad."

Stokes said he was "annoyed" that negative connotations were drawn around his break when he was named Test captain earlier this year.

"It felt like people were saying I couldn't do the job because I decided to take a break last year," he said.

"I was like, 'what's that got to do with being England captain'? If anything, it shows that you can do anything, even if you have decided to take a break."

Ged Stokes lost part of a finger after a rugby injury and his son often pays tribute to him when celebrating on the field
Stokes' father was a former rugby league international for New Zealand, and his son credited him with "instilling in me what I am today".

"When he wasn't there, for him not be able to text me to say 'well done' - that just stopped and that was a reason as to why I ended up being where I was," Stokes explained.

"Such a big inspiration to me had left the world and left me. I had to then find what it was to get me going again, what my inspiration was.

"I was very proud to be able to share him with people and show what he means to me."

Stokes also said his father's influence is shaping him into the kind of cricket captain he wishes to be.

"I would never ask somebody to do something I would not do myself, and I have got that from him," he said.

"The fact that he was sat in a chair dying of cancer and he was worried about the effect on me, the fact that I am not going to spend much time with him... just thinking about other people is something that he has taught me."

'Bristol will still affect my life in future'
Stokes was found not guilty of affray in September 2018 following a fight near a nightclub in Bristol a year earlier. He was not selected by England for several months after the incident.

"My wife Clare makes a great point of saying that just because when the verdict came in, don't assume that was the end of that incident," he said.

"That Bristol incident will still have an effect on my life and on our lives in the future. Just an example - we're going to have to sit our kids down one day and explain what that was all about.

"As they get older, no doubt people will ask them about it and we don't want them to be in the dark about that and then to come home and ask about it."

Stokes played in a Test for England both before and after the trial, but says he struggled once he left the field at the end of the day.

"Being in the dressing room at the time was great, because I was around people," he added.

"The hardest bit was when the day had finished and I had gone back to my room. I didn't want to leave the hotel, I was just sat on my bed.

"Those periods for me were the loneliest and the hardest. For me that was the start of another part of that Bristol thing."

BBC
 
Joe Root has praised "brave" England captain Ben Stokes for speaking about his struggles with his mental health.

In a new documentary, Stokes reveals he feared he might not play cricket again when he took a break from the sport in the summer of 2021.

"It's quite powerful for people to see sometimes it's OK not to be OK," Root told BBC Sport.

"It shows great leadership to put yourself out there and express some of the difficulties he's gone through."

Root, Stokes' predecessor as England Test captain, added: "It's very brave to lay himself as bare as he has done.

"It's very powerful for anyone watching to see someone who at times looks superhuman and can do things that other players can't do."

Stokes, 31, took a five-month break from cricket last year in order to prioritise his mental health and recover from a broken finger.

Four years earlier, the all-rounder spent time out of the England team following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub which led to a charge of affray. He was acquitted in 2018.

He spent another spell away from international cricket in 2020 to be with his ill father Ged, who passed away in December of that year.

In a documentary that will air on Amazon Prime from Friday, Stokes reveals he has suffered panic attacks and speaks about his battle with periods of poor mental health.

"You forget how much he has been through in such a short space of time," said batter Root, who was England captain on each occasion Stokes took a break from cricket.

"Hopefully if there are people out there struggling or finding things difficult, they can gain the courage to ask for that help."

Root and Stokes met as teenagers and have been at the heart of the England team for most of the past decade.

They were together as youngsters on the 2013-14 Ashes tour that saw the disintegration of a formidable England side, then were in the team that lost the 2016 T20 World Cup final - Root was one of the first to comfort Stokes after he was hit for four consecutive sixes in the last over of the match.

The pair were again part of the team that won the 2019 World Cup, while Stokes served as Root's vice-captain, a position he held when he almost single-handedly won a famous Ashes Test at Headingley in the same year.

"I'm very fortunate that I have experienced them with one of our greatest every players and a good mate of mine," said 31-year-old Root.

"You enjoy the good moments and help each other through the difficult times as well. That's one of the most powerful things about sport. You can create those kinds of relationships, memories and experiences."

England meet South Africa in the second Test at Old Trafford on Thursday after losing the first by an innings inside three days at Lord's.

That defeat extended a two-year run of England failing to win a Test in which Root has not made a half-century.

The last time they won without him reaching 50 in either innings was against Pakistan on this ground in the summer of 2020.

"It doesn't really affect the way I'm going to practise or how I'm going to walk into the game," said Root, the world's number one Test batter.

"If that was to happen again it's a great opportunity for someone else to stand up and make that big contribution."

BBC
 
The door is open for test captain Ben Stokes to end his retirement from one-day internationals and join England's title defence at the 50-overs World Cup in India later this year, white-ball coach Matthew Mott said.

Stokes was named Player of the Match in the 2019 World Cup final when England beat New Zealand at Lord's and was their top-scorer in the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

He decided to quit one-day cricket last year citing his workload but Mott said he would be happy to discuss the situation if things changed ahead of the World Cup in October-November.

"The door is always open for a player of that quality but we are also very aware that his main focus is red-ball cricket as the captain," Mott told reporters ahead of the three-match ODI series in South Africa beginning on Friday.

"We respect that and when he's ready to chat, we'll do that."

Mott said he had discussed the issue with limited-overs captain Jos Buttler and director of England men's cricket Rob Key and they had not set a cut-off date for Stokes to make up his mind.

"... we need to keep a really flexible, open mind to players and when we sit down to pick that 15 for the World Cup, we want to pick the best players possible," he added.

Ahead of the series against South Africa, Mott said fit-again speedster Jofra Archer was "frothing to play" after nearly two years on the sidelines.

"Having watched him from a distance, I think he's one of the most exciting things to have happened in cricket for the last decade," Mott said.

"The best thing I can say is that we have a general plan of what it (Archer's schedule) might look like.

"We will work through it with him, see how his body is coping. I definitely think he is a high priority and he will be managed as well as possible."

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/s...di-retirement-play-world-cup-mott-2023-01-25/
 
The door is open for test captain Ben Stokes to end his retirement from one-day internationals and join England's title defence at the 50-overs World Cup in India later this year, white-ball coach Matthew Mott said.

Stokes was named Player of the Match in the 2019 World Cup final when England beat New Zealand at Lord's and was their top-scorer in the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

He decided to quit one-day cricket last year citing his workload but Mott said he would be happy to discuss the situation if things changed ahead of the World Cup in October-November.

"The door is always open for a player of that quality but we are also very aware that his main focus is red-ball cricket as the captain," Mott told reporters ahead of the three-match ODI series in South Africa beginning on Friday.

"We respect that and when he's ready to chat, we'll do that."

Mott said he had discussed the issue with limited-overs captain Jos Buttler and director of England men's cricket Rob Key and they had not set a cut-off date for Stokes to make up his mind.

"... we need to keep a really flexible, open mind to players and when we sit down to pick that 15 for the World Cup, we want to pick the best players possible," he added.

Ahead of the series against South Africa, Mott said fit-again speedster Jofra Archer was "frothing to play" after nearly two years on the sidelines.

"Having watched him from a distance, I think he's one of the most exciting things to have happened in cricket for the last decade," Mott said.

"The best thing I can say is that we have a general plan of what it (Archer's schedule) might look like.

"We will work through it with him, see how his body is coping. I definitely think he is a high priority and he will be managed as well as possible."

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/s...di-retirement-play-world-cup-mott-2023-01-25/

It would be absolute madness to miss a WC.

I will be shocked if Stokes doesnt comeback
 
Most selfish player in the world.

Sat out of the Indian Test series & the T20 World Cup in 2021 for personal reasons & also quit ODI cricket with no regard to the fact that the next World Cup is less than a year away.

England need to stop begging him to reconsider his ODI retirement because he will only do what he wants. He could not care less about anything else.

It will be good for England if his personal interests motivates him to play in the World Cup. If not, Sam Curran is more than able to fill his boots. It is not 2019 anymore.
 
It would be absolute madness to miss a WC.

I will be shocked if Stokes doesnt comeback

Most selfish player in the world.

Sat out of the Indian Test series & the T20 World Cup in 2021 for personal reasons & also quit ODI cricket with no regard to the fact that the next World Cup is less than a year away.

England need to stop begging him to reconsider his ODI retirement because he will only do what he wants. He could not care less about anything else.

It will be good for England if his personal interests motivates him to play in the World Cup. If not, Sam Curran is more than able to fill his boots. It is not 2019 anymore.

He flip flops all the time. He might come back.

Remember him walking away from the IPL? That lasted all of one solitary season. He is back in the IPL. So he might still play for Eng in ODI's.
 
England coach Matthew Mott wants Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer in the England squad for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India.

Ben Stokes retired from One Day Internationals in July 2022 and as recently as in the aftermath of the Ashes, had reiterated his intentions of staying retired from the 50-over format to be fit for the Test series against India in early 2024.

Stokes suffered a knee injury during his time in New Zealand back in February, causing him to miss most of the Indian Premier League season. Although he was ready to captain England in the Ashes, his involvement was mostly limited to batting due to the injury, bowling just 29 overs across five matches

Nevertheless, Stokes has consistently demonstrated his value as a specialized batter. England's white-ball coach, Matthew Mott, is open to including him in the World Cup squad based solely on his batting prowess.

"Jos will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben’s pretty straight with all of us," Matthew Mott said. "We will see if he’s keen.

"There has not been a clear direction on what he’s going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I’ve always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field.

"Watching him throughout the whole Ashes series, he had such a great presence. He’s done it for years when it comes to performing in one-day cricket and so he’s an invaluable commodity.’

Ben Stokes was one of the heroes for England in the 2019 edition, winning the Player of the Match in the Final for his memorable unbeaten 84.

ICC
 
It simply does not make any sense to retire from ODIs for a guy like Stokes. He could have played as a batter and chip in with 2-3 overs when needed. World Cup is the ultimate dream of any professional cricketer.
 
England are significantly weaker without Stokes.

As a matter of fact, England probably would've lost both 2019 WC final and 2022 World T20 final without Stokes.
 
Most selfish player in the world.

Sat out of the Indian Test series & the T20 World Cup in 2021 for personal reasons & also quit ODI cricket with no regard to the fact that the next World Cup is less than a year away.

England need to stop begging him to reconsider his ODI retirement because he will only do what he wants. He could not care less about anything else.

It will be good for England if his personal interests motivates him to play in the World Cup. If not, Sam Curran is more than able to fill his boots. It is not 2019 anymore.

Lol at the comparison with Sam Curran. Laughable
 
In white ball cricket I actually think that England should fully move on from Stokes. His spectre is beginning to follow the team around and is becoming a distraction.

He has a terrible T20I record, whereas in ODIs he is a good player but because he is now physically incapable of being an all-rounder, it effectively means that he is taking up a place in the team that could be used more effectively on someone else.

In white ball cricket, bank those famous clutch tournament innings that Ben Stokes has played in finals and move forward into the new era.

Stokes to just be the red ball captain and continue leading England in Test cricket as a specialist top/middle order batsman.
 
His experience and clutch knock capability plus some genius in the field is a plus for any team. England however are scarily good enough to move on from him.
 
It's not just Stokes' personal performance that matters, just his presence on the field lifts the morale and confidence of the team up a notch.
 
I'm surprised considering the world cup is around the corner.

However a great career, played that monumental unforgettable world cup final knock.

Wish him the best
 
England Test captain and the world's premier all-rounder Ben Stokes is all set to come out of retirement and play the ODI World Cup in India even if it comes at the cost of missing a season of cash-rich IPL, according to British daily 'The Telegraph'. According to a report in the leading English newspaper, "Ben Stokes is prepared to make a sensational U-Turn and reverse his one day international retirement to help England's World Cup defence in India this year, even if it means missing out on next season's Indian Premier League."

The reason why Stokes could give his Rs 16 crore annual IPL deal with CSK a miss, is the five-Test series against India that will start on January 25 and end on March 11.

If Stokes plays two months of IPL till the end of May, then he would be spending close to five months in India, which might not be feasible for him.

At some point, he is expected to undergo a knee surgery and the IPL window seems the best time considering he can return to competitive cricket and continue leading England in years to come.

"While concern lingers over Stokes's knee which might require operation at some stage, Telegraph Sport understands that he would be prepared to miss next season's IPL if he needed a gap in his schedule to help him recover."

England start their campaign on October 5 in Ahmedabad against New Zealand and the 32-year-old Stokes, who has played 105 ODIs for his country before retiring from the format last year, might just come out for one tournament to help Buttler's side regain the trophy it won in 2019. Stokes was Player of the Final in the last edition at home.

The report also states that if need be, Stokes will play as a specialist batter in the middle order.


"Stokes is likely to bat in the middle order for England ODI side. Amid fears of how much bowling he could do, England are prepared to pick him as specialist batsman, replicating the role he performed at stages during this summer's Ashes series," the report stated.
 
England do not carry extra baggage just like Pakistan did with Javed Miandad in 1996 world cup. I would say good decision English has better bench strength.

Only Pakistanis are attached with past performances of players like they are their real wives.

I really like the professional attitude in the western world.
 
In white ball cricket I actually think that England should fully move on from Stokes. His spectre is beginning to follow the team around and is becoming a distraction.

He has a terrible T20I record, whereas in ODIs he is a good player but because he is now physically incapable of being an all-rounder, it effectively means that he is taking up a place in the team that could be used more effectively on someone else.

In white ball cricket, bank those famous clutch tournament innings that Ben Stokes has played in finals and move forward into the new era.

Stokes to just be the red ball captain and continue leading England in Test cricket as a specialist top/middle order batsman.
I do like this thinking about moving on. However, Stokes provides an extra dimension in those crunch games. The last 2 finals have been low scoring affairs and he has been the only england player capable to knuckle down and see it through.

If England were an also-ran team, the concept of moving on from a player like stokes makes sense from a rebuilding perspective. But england are not also-rans. They are rightly looking to win the thing. I don’t think they can do that without stokes. Without him they will play some spectacular matches but ultimately get unstuck in the KO phases.
 
Ben Stokes' return to the England one-day side for the defence of the World Cup will be confirmed on Wednesday.

Stokes, 32, will come out of retirement to be named in a 15-man squad for a four-match series against New Zealand in September.

The bulk of that party will form the squad for the World Cup in India in October and November.

Stokes was man of the match in the final when England won the World Cup for the first time in 2019.

Stokes could have amazing World Cup, says Pope
The all-rounder retired from one-day internationals last summer, saying that playing three formats was unsustainable.

He continued to lead the England Test team and play in T20 internationals, starring in the final as England lifted the World Cup in the shortest format in Australia in November.

When asked in July if he would play in the 50-over World Cup, Stokes reiterated he was retired.

But in an interview with the Daily Mail, England white-ball coach Matthew Mott said captain Jos Buttler would approach Stokes over reversing that decision. A number of newspaper reports on Monday said Stokes was considering the request.

A quirk of the schedule means England have no Tests until they tour India for five matches between January and March next year.

BBC
 
Ben Stokes is back!

Named in England's ODI Squad for the ODI series against New Zealand.
 
Retire so you can avoid playing in meaningless ODI series, but come out of retirement just before the start of the World Cup. What a genius this Stokes is.
 
So Mr. Saving Test Cricket conveniently comes back to ODIs after quitting and enticing IPL teams to give him a term deal.

Watch him next year do more 'selfless' contortions to get his IPL paycheck from CSK bench.
 
The greatest cricketer of the modern era reserves the play selective cricket.

He’s earned this
 
The world cup will be more interesting with him.
Good news for cricket fans.

It would have been a shame to have a world cup without the best player in the world.
 
I have seen it written that this one off appearance means he will miss the IPL.
 
I have seen it written that this one off appearance means he will miss the IPL.
It makes perfect sense. He is taking his retirement back to win the world cup. Playing in IPL means he will be exhausted and might get injured before the world cup. :inti
 
Retirement has become a joke these days. Last World Cup was in England so Stokes was able to produce the kind of inning he is known for. He ain't giving his best shot this time.

2019 was their chance and he took them to finishing line. Not happening again. In Ashes also, he plays those knocks only in England to save the home test series. In places like Australia and India, he averages below 30 with bat and is poor with ball as well.
 
Says a a lot about England's stock - bringing players out of retirement, yet ECB exclude Brooks from WC squad.

I think not picking Brook is a bad call.

The current England side is ageing, several injuries abound and guys like Roy and Buttler aren't what they used to be.

From the group in the squad the best possible XI is likely:

Roy
Bairstow
Malan
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Curran
Woakes
Rashid
Wood

9 of that 11 are on the wrong side of 30...very much on the wrong side.
 
Former Australian Test captain, Tim Paine shared his thoughts on Ben Stokes coming out of retirement for the upcoming ODI World Cup held in India from October 5 to November 19. Paine believes that Stokes had the option to pick and choose the events he wanted to take part in.

“Ben Stokes coming out of one-day retirement, I found that interesting. It was a bit of, ‘Me, me, me’, there isn’t it? It was, ‘I’ll pick, and I’ll choose where I want to play and when I want to play’, and ‘I’ll play in the big tournaments’. The guys who played for 12 months, ‘Sorry, thanks. But can you go and sit on the bench because I want to play now?,” said Paine on SEN Radio.

Stokes, though, will feature in the ODIs as a specialist left-handed batter due to his chronic left knee injury that hampered his role as an all-rounder during this year’s Ashes. With Stokes coming in, England left out young in-form batter Harry Brook.

Though Paine wasn’t convinced about Stokes’ return at the expense of Brook, he admitted England should enter the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup as favourites alongside hosts India.
 
Great shame that Brook missed out for this.

I’d have most players including Brook over Jason Roy. Roy looks way past his best whenever I see him nowadays.

Feels like a bit of a sentimental “Getting the band back together” from England for this World Cup. Might work, might not.
 
Ben Stokes retired from ODI cricket in July 2022 but reversed his decision and was named in England's provisional squad for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

One of the biggest takeaways from England's squad announcement for the New Zealand ODI series and the World Cup was the return of Ben Stokes to 50-over cricket.

England coach Matthew had Mott expressed interest in having Stokes return primarily as a batter, considering his knee injury. He had mentioned that Jos Buttler, the white-ball captain, would discuss the matter with Stokes before finalizing the squad.

Buttler revealed the details behind the conversation, stating that Stokes made the ultimate decision without needing much persuasion.

"To be honest, it was Ben's call," Jos Buttler said. "You all know Ben pretty well by now - I don't think anyone talking to him would persuade him.

"We had some conversations quite a while ago about it and just left it to him to come to me, basically, if he wanted to come back. We're delighted that he feels ready to come back and any time you can welcome him back into the team is great.

"Ben is very much his own man, he makes his own decisions. I've played with him for a very long time, I'm good friends with him. Me badgering him and saying 'come back, come back' is not really the way things work with Ben. He very much makes up his own mind and decides.

"We had some conversations around it and just left it in his court. I'm sure the lure of playing in a World Cup is quite big for someone as competitive and as driven as he is to play in an England shirt. I'm delighted he felt up to it and could come back."
 
Ben Stokes Set To Play As Batter Only At ICC World Cup After ODI U-Turn

Ben Stokes had planned to use a six-month gap until England next play Test cricket, away to India, in order to attend to his chronic problem.

England are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men's World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire from one-day internationals. The all-rounder, troubled by a longstanding left knee injury that restricted his bowling during the recent drawn Ashes Test series at home to Australia, said playing in all three international formats was "unsustainable" when calling time on his ODI career 13 months ago. The 32-year-old had planned to use a six-month gap until England next play Test cricket, away to India, in order to attend to his chronic problem.

But he is now set for a role as a specialist batsman as one of nine survivors named in a 15-man squad to face New Zealand in three home ODIs next month that is also set to double as England's party for a World Cup in India that runs from October 5-November 19.


NDTV
 
Ben Stokes: England Test captain has 'very good plan' for knee injury

The England Test captain has ended his one-day retirement to play in the World Cup in India in October and November.

Stokes, 32, will use the time between the World Cup and the Tests in India in January to address the knee issue, which is preventing him from bowling.

"I know what's going to happen, I just don't think now is right time to say what I'm doing," he told BBC Sport.

Stokes retired from one-day internationals last summer, but is now due to make his return in the opener to a four-match series against New Zealand in Cardiff on Friday.

Before the end of the Ashes, Stokes addressed questions about his potential participation in the World Cup by saying he would take a break from cricket to have "serious conversations" about how to rectify the knee problem.

However, it has since emerged that discussions over his return for the World Cup began long before it was announced in August.

And, speaking on Thursday, Stokes revealed his comments during the Ashes were made simply to "stop everyone asking me" about the World Cup.

"The best way was just to say something and they had something to write about. It worked," said Stokes.

England's defence of the World Cup they won in 2019 begins against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on 5 October.

The final is in the same city on 19 November, meaning England will have at least two months before the first of five Tests in India on 25 January.

"There's actually quite a long time off after the World Cup," added Stokes, who did not bowl in any of the last three Ashes Tests.

"I've been having some good conversations with some specialists. There is a plan in place.

"When we do what we need to do to give myself a chance of getting back to being a genuine all-rounder there will be a time when I can say what I'm doing.

"It's nice knowing after the World Cup we've got something, a really good plan we can do and we can stick to. I want to be playing next summer as a genuine all-rounder. This winter is all about playing this World Cup, then getting this knee sorted."

Stokes, who was player of the match in the 2019 final, has been picked for the 2023 tournament as a specialist batter only.

After Stokes' return had been confirmed, white-ball captain Jos Buttler admitted the two had been in discussion for "a while".

"The nice thing was there wasn't any pressure put on me to make a decision quickly," said Stokes.

"Having a chance to play in another World Cup is great, but going there as world champions and trying to retain it is something that was quite appealing to me

"I had to tell Jos that if you want to make that decision and pick me you have to make that decision on the basis of me not bowling a ball out there.

"I was very clear with where I'm at with my body and what I felt I can offer the team. It was nice to know from Jos that he didn't think to long that, even if I am just there as a batter, he'd pick me."

Stokes' return has meant there is no place in England's original squad for the New Zealand series for Harry Brook. When that party was named in August, selector Luke Wright said it would be the same 15 players that would travel to the World Cup.

However, Buttler and captain Matthew Mott have hinted England could make changes up to the deadline on 28 September, and Brook has since been called up for the New Zealand series as cover for the injured Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, whose wife is due to give birth.

"If there is a competition for places and there is pressure on individuals to perform to get their spot, that's a sign you're in a very, very good team," said Stokes.

"You don't want selections to be easy, because then you know your strength in depth isn't as strong as other teams.

"It's a healthy place to be in as a team when everyone has a little bit of pressure to perform before the final World Cup squad gets announced."


BBC
 
Incredible innings.

I could think of a few players who would played it safe and wanted a double hundred.

Proper team player this guy.
 
Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL2024, to manage his workload between England's Test tour of India and the ICC T20I WorldCup 2024
 
Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL2024, to manage his workload between England's Test tour of India and the ICC T20I WorldCup 2024

England Test captain Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for the 2024 Indian Premier League in order to manage his workload and fitness.

All-rounder Stokes, 32, is due to have knee surgery before England's five-match Test series in India next year.

Stokes was Chennai Super Kings' most expensive signing for the 2023 IPL but played just twice due to injury issues.

A statement from CSK said their "management is supportive" of Stokes' "decision to manage his workload."

Stokes scored only 15 runs and bowled one over for 18 runs in his two appearances for the Super Kings in the 2023 competition.

The dates for the 2024 edition of the IPL have yet to be confirmed but the T20 tournament is expected to take place from the end of March through to the end of May.

Stokes has been hampered by a persistent knee issue throughout recent years, although he declined to reveal more about the exact nature of the injury or the operation when asked about it during the World Cup earlier this month.

He made a shock u-turn on his one-day international retirement to play in England's World Cup defence and after doing so said he had a "very good plan in place" to fix the injury problem.

Stokes has not bowled since 1 July - day four of the second Ashes Test at Lord's - which has left England with difficulties balancing their Test and 50-over teams.

England's Test series with India is due to begin on 25 January in Visakhapatnam.

Source: BBC
 
Ben Stokes Opts Out of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Selection

England men’s cricketer Ben Stokes has confirmed today that he does not wish to be considered for selection ahead of this summer’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will take place in June in the West Indies and USA.

The England Test captain’s primary focus is to get fully fit to bowl not only for the summer of Test cricket, which includes two three-match Test series’ against West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively, but for all cricket in the future.

Commenting on his decision, Stokes said:

“I’m working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfil a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket.

“Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.

ECB
 
Stokes's recent string of injuries is unfortunate. He knows his body well so perhaps maybe that's why he retired from ODIs prior to the World Cup as well. Personally, I think he should retire from T20Is too and just and focus on Tests. He has achieved the pinnacle in both limited-overs formats by playing a leading role in England's World Cup victories and England have plenty of players knocking down the door in ODIs and T20Is. Stokes's presence in the test team is far more important.
 
His body cannot handle 3 formats. Should never have come back for the World Cup.

This is the right decision and will make things easier for Luke Wright or whoever.

If he has a poor home season, he should retire from all cricket.
 
Stokes's recent string of injuries is unfortunate. He knows his body well so perhaps maybe that's why he retired from ODIs prior to the World Cup as well. Personally, I think he should retire from T20Is too and just and focus on Tests. He has achieved the pinnacle in both limited-overs formats by playing a leading role in England's World Cup victories and England have plenty of players knocking down the door in ODIs and T20Is. Stokes's presence in the test team is far more important.

No point in having an injured all rounder in tests. If he's not bowling, he's half the player as proven recently in India.
 
He's good enough to play as a batter and also happens to be an excellent fielder and captain. But if he's injured, he shouldn't be playing period.

He wants to use the downtime to go through another rehab in a bid to recover his bowling across forms, I agree with this but he should just focus on his Batting and imo Tests only
 
He played a gem of a knock against Naseem in particular during the previous T20 WC final BUT I think this could be a blessing in disguise for England.
 
Ben Stokes is turning out to be a slightly better version of Lance Klusener. Formwise, he reminds me of MS Dhoni post-2014 - has massive fan following but only shows up with the occasional cameos.
 
Sensible decision both for the team but also him personally.
Most English fans won’t care too much about what happens in the T20 World Cup, so he has prioritised the version of the game they rate — increases his personal caché (Buttler gets zero credit for being the captain of the winning World Cup T20 side).

To be honest, he’s a bit of a passenger in the side at the moment in all formats — so I guess he considered it made sense to get fit and get some cheap Test wickets against SL and the WI.
 
International T20s are a forced format. No team play with full strength 90% of the time. World T20 is also losing its relevance as it is too frequent. Hope all the oldies understand and abandon this format
 
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