England captain Ben Stokes has left everyone stunned with his sudden retirement from the international cricket. The ongoing third Test match between England against New Zealand at Trent Bridge will mark the conclusion of Ben Stokes’s illustrious international cricket career, as the England captain has announced his retirement.
Ben Stokes retires from international cricket
Stokes has been a cornerstone of English cricket, famously steering the nation to its historic 2019 World Cup victory and providing transformative, inspirational leadership to the Test squad since taking over the captaincy from Joe Root in 2022.
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In an incredible twist of timing, a BBC report revealed that Ben Stokes was actively in the middle of a bowling spell when the official statement announcing his international retirement was publically released. Almost poetically, on the very first delivery following the announcement, Stokes claimed the wicket of Zak Foulkes, who was caught at second slip.
Stokes' 15-year-long illustrious career comes to an end
This retirement brings to an end a legendary 15-year international career, highlighted by his unforgettable performance for England in the 2019 50-over World Cup final victory against New Zealand. Over his career, Stokes represented his country in 122 Test matches, leading the national side as captain in 44 of them. His extensive white-ball resume features 114 One-Day Internationals and 43 T20 Internationals.
The all-rounder was also a crucial component of England's T20 World Cup triumph in 2022—the landmark year he was also appointed as the Test captain. However, his final series was hit by controversy, as Stokes was dropped from the second Test for disciplinary reasons following a late night out after the series opener.
Stokes, England's crisis man in Tests
The conclusion of Stokes's captaincy was overshadowed by an off-field incident that occurred just after England's victory in the first Test against New Zealand. Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson reportedly violated the team's midnight curfew and were present during an altercation outside a London nightclub, which also involved an ECB security official and a Saracens rugby player. This sudden controversy provided an unexpected and turbulent final chapter to a leadership era that had completely transformed the team's trajectory.
Taking the reins in 2022 after Joe Root stepped down, Stokes partnered with head coach Brendon McCullum to introduce an aggressive, high-tempo style of play that breathed new life into a struggling Test squad. Under his guidance, England recovered from a prolonged slump to win 24 out of 44 Test matches. While his tenure began with remarkable momentum, the team faced tougher challenges more recently, including an Ashes defeat in Australia and a drawn home series against India.
Despite recent collective setbacks and a dip in his personal batting form, Stokes remained England's standout bowler over the past year and solidified his legendary status during the ongoing series against New Zealand by joining Jacques Kallis as only the second player in history to achieve the double of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets in Test cricket. He retires as one of England's greatest match-winners, remembered forever for his monumental, unbeaten 84 that secured the 2019 ODI World Cup, and his breathtaking 135 not out at Headingley, which stands as one of the most iconic innings in cricket history.