Stokes leaves options open
BEN STOKES has not ruled out a return to England colours to help defend the 50-overWorld Cup in India – just don’t ask him about it now.
That was the mistake managing director of England men’s cricket Rob
Key made when he tried to broach the subject with Stokes in Abu Dhabi with his mind totally focused on the upcoming Test tour to Pakistan.
The Test skipper refused to entertain the subject, having just delivered a T20 World Cup into the ECB trophy cabinet to go with the 50-over version he did most to secure back in
2019.
Since then, Stokes has been through the physical and mental wringer and decided he could not perform to the best of his ability if he continued to play all formats, which is why just weeks before the T20 tournament Down Under he announced his retirement from the 50-over game.
The huge demands on all-format players are too great to be able to play consistently across them all for England. Something has to give and, with Stokes keen to re-enter the IPL auction after missing out last year, it was one-day bilateral cricket that had to make way.
But with white-ball coach Matthew Mott keen to have Stokes parachuted into the squad late next year ahead of the tournament in India, there may be a way back for the all-rounder if things align for him and white-ball captain Jos Buttler makes a timely request.
“Keysy pulled me to the side in the UAE and, as soon as he said ‘50-over World Cup’, I just walked away,” said Stokes. “When it comes to theWorld Cup next year who knows? At the moment, my focus is solely on this series.
“But it’s one of those things.Who knows how I might feel towards a World Cup at the time.” ”