Ben Stokes had announced that he was stepping away from ODI cricket in 2022. He even confirmed his retirement decision to the media following the Ashes series, disclaiming any potential comeback for the World Cup. However, shaking things up, he recently returned just in time with great form for the forthcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India.
This also meant a place for him in England's preliminary World Cup squad was cemented.
A Stellar comeback performance
Marking his powerful return, Stokes delivered an exemplary innings by scoring a staggering 182 runs off only 124 balls in the third ODI against New Zealand.
This phenomenal play at The Oval prepped him for the upcoming global cricketing event. When probed about his previous statements regarding his knee concerns, he remarked, "I knew that I'd be playing in these games and potentially in the World Cup then when I said that, but it was just the easiest thing to say that and put you (the media) off the radar."
Breaking records with precision
The cricket pitch witnessed Stokes' prowess as he smashed 15 boundaries and soared nine balls over the fence. Surpassing Jason Roy’s achievement against Australia in 2018, Stokes' recent inning crowned him as England's top individual scorer in the ODI format.
After the match, Stokes shared insights on his role specialisation. "This is the first time that I've been clear in my mind that that's the one thing I can focus on," Stokes said.
He added that this clarity has lent him the freedom to strategize and execute his moves with more precision. "I think over the last 18 months, every day has been, 'will I bowl, will I not bowl?' Now, I know that I can just focus on that… that's my thing for the team now. Having that clarity in my head contributes to that.
"I'd prefer not to go in that early because I want to see the other lads at the top do well. I don't think I've necessarily changed my approach in one-day cricket from all the years I spent at No. 5 or 6… I still think that batting at No. 4, I'll go out with the exact same approach I had at No. 5."
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