Ben Stokes Announces Shock International Retirement During ENG vs NZ 3rd Test, Weeks After Nightclub Controversy
ENG vs NZ, 3rd Test: England national cricket team Test captain Ben Stokes shocked not only English cricket but also the remaining cricketing fraternity by announcing his international retirement amid the third Test against New Zealand at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham. It has emerged that the 35-year-old had communicated to his teammates about his retirement before the start of Day 4 at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
What did Ben Stokes tell his teammates in the dressing room?
The timing may have been intended to inspire his teammates to deliver one last win for him, with England’s backs to the wall in the deciding third test, and Stokes, playing in his 122nd test, took a wicket with his first ball afterwards.
In a video shared by the ECB, Stokes told his teammates: “The only thing that I want is to be able to walk off the end of that field, regardless of the result, knowing that I’ve had this group… give everything for the last two days. All the emotion, all that kind of stuff, please can we just wait for the end of the game?
There was another ovation for Stokes as he led England off the field at tea and one more – plus a guard of honour from his teammates and New Zealand’s batters – as he led them back on for the final session of the day.
The 35-year-old, who made his international debut in 2011, has captained England’s test team since 2022. Known for his fearless batting and defiant leadership, Stokes helped England win their first 50-over World Cup seven years ago with an unbeaten 84 in the final. His unbeaten 135 at Headingley the same summer, which guided England to a one-wicket win over Australia after they had been bowled out for 67 in the first innings, is widely regarded as one of the greatest test innings of all time.
ECB Chairman Richard Thompson pays tribute to Ben Stokes
“We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman. His performances under pressure, his relentless competitiveness and his ability to produce the extraordinary when it matters most have given me and millions of other fans memories that will endure forever,” said ECB chair Richard Thompson in a statement.
Stokes had been dropped from the second test against New Zealand earlier this month amid an investigation into a nightclub incident where he and teammate Gus Atkinson were alleged to have broken curfew. He was later cleared to return to the side.
In 2017, Stokes was arrested over a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub and was indefinitely suspended by the ECB. His court appearances were followed closely in the media, and he eventually accepted a misconduct charge and returned to cricket in February 2018. Despite the off-field controversies, Stokes has also had a huge on-field influence, helping implement a cultural reset in the England team, partnering with coach Brendan McCullum to introduce an aggressive brand of cricket quickly nicknamed “Bazball.”
Adopting this swashbuckling approach, England in 2022 chased down a record target of 378 against India in just 76.2 overs and swept a series 3-0 against reigning world test champions New Zealand.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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