In contrast to former Test captain Joe Root, England has opted not to bring back current Test captain Ben Stokes for their ODI squad for the upcoming tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.
New Delhi: In contrast to former Test captain Joe Root, England has opted not to bring back current Test captain Ben Stokes for their ODI squad for the upcoming tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. With Stokes playing the joint third-lowest number of ODIs this year, the squad announcement has drawn attention due to the ambiguity surrounding the lineup for their first ODI against India in Nagpur on February 6, 2025.
As per the ECB (England Cricket Board), Stokes, who hasn’t played an ODI since ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, hasn’t been included “as he continues to be assessed following a left hamstring injury sustained during the third Test match against New Zealand earlier this month”.
On the surface, this decision might seem like a significant setback for English supporters. However, in practice, it could prove to be more beneficial than detrimental for English cricket. Stokes, having focused primarily on Test cricket in recent years, is no longer the white-ball force he once was. Furthermore, England would prefer not to risk a partially fit Stokes struggling in Pakistan, as was evident during their previous tour of the country in October.
Lack Of White-Ball Cricket Not Beating The Drum For Ben Stokes:
Though it may sound surprising, it’s important to highlight that Stokes has only played 19 out of England’s 62 ODIs since the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. His absence is mainly due to fitness concerns and a brief retirement from the format.
As a batsman, Stokes’ 781 runs, with an average of 43.38 and a strike rate of 102.22—including his career-best knock—deserve praise. However, his bowling performance has been far less impressive, with just four wickets at an average of 54.25, an economy rate of 6.57, and a strike rate of 49.5. Stokes, who has bowled only eight times during this period, has not bowled in an ODI for the past 29 months and has not bowled 10 overs in a match since February 2019, with no more than five overs bowled in any game since March 2021.
Had Stokes been playing T20s consistently since England’s ICC T20 World Cup win over two years ago, one might argue that his absence from the next ICC event would be significant. However, with just 19 runs at an average of 4.75 and no wickets from five T20s since the last World Cup, there’s little reason for captain Jos Buttler or coach Brendon McCullum to be concerned about Stokes missing the tournament.
While it’s not meant to downplay Stokes’ contributions in limited-overs cricket, it seems this may mark the end of the 33-year-old’s injury-prone ODI career. As a rare player who has remained unbeaten in both an ODI and T20I World Cup victory, Stokes has made significant contributions to England’s white-ball successes.
As he nears the end of his international career, Stokes is likely focused on one final challenge as captain. With five Ashes appearances under his belt, Stokes has lifted the urn only once. Yet, a victory in Australia has eluded him, and the upcoming Ashes series in 2025/26 offers him one last chance. Given the prominence of the Ashes over the Champions Trophy in English cricket, it’s clear why the ECB and Stokes are prioritizing the former.
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