Ben Stokes to retire from international cricket after third Test against New Zealand

LONDON: England Test captain Ben Stokes will retire from international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand, ending a career that featured England’s 2019 World Cup victory and a celebrated Ashes innings at Headingley.

The announcement was made at Trent Bridge on Sunday and was met with a standing ovation from the crowd. With England under pressure in the deciding third match of the series, Stokes then struck with his first ball in his 122nd Test. Later, after opening only twice previously for England, he walked out with Ben Duckett to begin the chase of 373 through a guard of honour formed by New Zealand’s fielders and the umpires.

Stokes made a brisk start, hitting two sixes in the first five overs as the home crowd hoped for another trademark innings. He was dismissed for 30, drawing another standing ovation as he left the field. He will continue to play for Durham.

Captaincy toll

Stokes said the demands of leading England had left him emotionally drained. He told Sky Sports, "It's the best thing that I've ever been asked to do captaining this team, captaining this country" adding "It’s the greatest honour that can ever be put on your shoulders as a player but there's another side to it that people don't see and don't understand. Only the people close to you can really see what you do go through emotionally.

"As good as it is there are bits that do get you, do drain you and do affect you in a negative way but overall for four and a half years, or whatever it's been, I've loved every single moment of it.", he added.

In a video shared by the England and Wales Cricket Board (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?", he stated.

Career highlights and legacy

The 35-year-old made his international debut in 2011 and has led England’s Test side since 2022. He played a central role in England’s first 50-over World Cup title seven years ago, making an unbeaten 84 in the final. In the same summer, his 135 not out at Headingley carried England to a one-wicket Ashes win over Australia after they had been dismissed for 67 in the first innings, an effort widely regarded as one of the finest Test innings.

ECB chair Richard Thompson said in a statement, "We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman," and added, "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."

Stokes also helped reshape England’s approach in partnership with coach Brendan McCullum, introducing the aggressive style that quickly became known as Bazball. Under that approach, England in 2022 chased down 378 against India in 76.2 overs and completed a 3-0 series sweep over then world Test champions New Zealand. The same year, Stokes was player of the match in the T20 World Cup final as England won the title for a second time.

Off-field episodes

Stokes was omitted from the second Test against New Zealand this month during an investigation into a nightclub incident in which 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 after a brawl outside a nightclub in Bristol and was suspended indefinitely by the ECB. After court proceedings that drew wide media attention, he accepted a misconduct charge and returned to cricket in February 2018.

He received further ovations at Trent Bridge as he led England off at tea and again when he returned for the final session, with teammates and New Zealand batters forming another guard of honour.