Everything has changed.. now my six-year-old asks people: Would you like a picture with my daddy?
EXCLUSIVE: BEN STOKES LOOKS BACK ON SENSATIONAL SUMMER THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE FOREVER
BEN STOKES is enjoying the calm after the storm.
Just two weeks have passed since he was last on a cricket field putting the finishing touches to a sensational summer in which English cricket was front and centre of the British sporting landscape for all the right reasons.
And for much of it the 28-yearold all-rounder was right in the thick of it, scoring runs, taking wickets and catches, and generally just winning games and World Cups for England.
It was a whirlwind of his own production and the result is that he became not just an English cricket hero but a British sporting superstar who, along with team-mates like Jofra Archer, has made cricket cool again.
“Things are a bit different with more people recognising you and wanting to talk to you,” said Stokes. “I’ve really noticed it with my son Layton, who is six now and is much more aware of things around him and is taking it all in.
“We were at the Metro Centre and these three lads stopped, were chatting, and then Layton went up to them and said, ‘Do you want a picture of my daddy?’ I was a bit embarrassed but, yes, they wanted a photo.
“All the lads in the team have noticed that side of things and it goes to show that cricket has managed to reach a wider audience this summer, which was a goal of ours.
“We’re disappointed not to have won the Ashes but I think if we had been offered the summer we’ve had at the start, we would probably have taken it.
“It has been a summer to remember and I don’t think it has even fully hit me yet. That will come at some point down the road.”
There were so many magical moments it is hard to even recall most of them, but the World Cup final and the Headingley Ashes run chase were the two standouts, and Stokes was at the heart of both.
He was so focused, though, he has had to watch the highlights since then to see some of the things he missed at the time, such as the reaction of the Aussies as the game drew to a close in Leeds.
They were the sort of moments that can earn cricketers extra gongs like the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. But what about his World Cup winners’ medal. What has he done with that?
“Er, it’s still at the Oval,” said Stokes. “I carried it around with me for the rest of the summer, but my kit bag is still there under lock and key after the Ashes so I have to get it back at some point.
“It’s not really about those personal achievements, but of course you’re proud when you’re able to help your team win.
“Watching Headingley back was pretty cool because there is so much stuff you miss when you’re in your own little bubble. I got nervous thinking there might be a different outcome even though I know what happened.”
And which was his favourite? The World Cup final, where he dragged the game back with 84 not out? Or Headingley, where he dragged the game back with 135 not out? “I can’t choose,” he said. “It is like two threes or a six. The World Cup win was always going to be historic, though, as it was our first one.” Stokes will get a bit more of a break before he is back on duty for the two-Test series in New Zealand. And with England freshening things up, Stokes is reminded of the need to push on again after seeing Jonny Bairstow get dropped. “As great as international sport is, it can be brutal,” added Stokes. “You can see it with Jonny being left out of the Test team, which shows that you have to keep performing.
“I’ve got no doubt he will be back and will show everyone just how good he is, but we all have to keep improving and there is always another challenge to face up to.” ●EIGHT new teams for
The Hundred will be revealed tomorrow, and Ben Stokes will be in one of them.