Stokes cites schedule as reason for retiring
ENGLAND’S World Cup hero Ben Stokes has announced his shock retirement from one-day cricket, departing with a word of warning about the “unsustainable” schedule.
Stokes’ brilliance was the inspiration behind England’s historic victory in the 2019 World Cup final, defying the odds to score 84 not out in a tied match against New Zealand and then coming back out to settle things via a super over. But in three years since that triumphant moment, the country’s star all-rounder has played just nine more times in the 50-over format, due to injuries, a mental-health break and workload management.
The 31-year-old will turn out once more for a farewell appearance, at his home ground of Chester-le-Street against South Africa today, before focusing on his Test captaincy and T20 career.
“This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. We have had an incredible journey on the way,” he said.
“As hard as a decision as this was to come to, it’s not as hard dealing with the fact I can’t give my team-mates 100 per cent of myself in this format any more. The England shirt deserves nothing less from anyone who wears it.
“Three formats are just unsustainable for me now. Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another
player who can give Jos [Buttler, captain] and the rest of the team their all. It’s time for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years.”
England have crammed seven Tests and 12 limitedovers internationals into their summer, coming off the back of a busy Ashes winter, and are due to leave for Pakistan less than a week after their final home Test. With that kind of calendar, Stokes’ decision is a red flag for a format that is increasingly vulnerable following the abandonment of the Super League and South Africa’s cancellation of games against Australia.
Stokes has built an ODI CV of 2919 runs, 74 wickets and 49 catches, with one last chance to add to those tallies.
He debuted in 2011 as part of a side that had been left behind in one-day cricket and ended up as the fulcrum of
Eoin Morgan’s market-leading world champions eight years later. Morgan’s England, with Stokes at its centre, became the measuring stick for every other nation to compare themselves against.
Now, neither Stokes nor Morgan will be there to defend their crown in India at next year’s World Cup.
“I would like to wish Jos, Matthew [Mott, head coach], the players and the support staff every success going forward. We have made great strides in white-ball cricket over the past seven years, and the future looks bright,” said Stokes.