England captain Ben Stokes stunned the world of cricket overnight by announcing his impending retirement from the international game — in the middle of a Test match he was playing against New Zealand.
News of the imminent end of Stokes' era-defining, 15-year England career came in a statement released by the team 15 minutes before the tea interval on Day 4 of the third and deciding Test at Trent Bridge.
With the first ball he bowled after the announcement went public, Stokes took a wicket when he got an edge off New Zealand batter Zak Foulkes to second slip where the catch was taken by Harry Brook — possibly the next captain.
He then smashed 30 off 20 balls after deciding to open the batting in what is seemingly his final test innings, with England slipping toward a series defeat.
It was quite the way to bow out — and summed up Stokes' international career as a man who delivered in the big moments and did things other players couldn't wouldn't dare do.
Like in 2019 when he starred for England in its wild win over New Zealand — the country of his birth — in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s, hitting 84 before victory was clinched in a Super Over.
Like when he scored the winning runs as England clinched the T20 World Cup in Melbourne in 2022 — the same year he became test captain.
Or like when he made his most memorable knock in Test cricket, an unbeaten 135 as England chased down 359 to beat Australia in an Ashes match at Headingley in 2019.
"The reasons can wait [about] why," Stokes said when dropping news of his retirement to teammates in the England dressing room ahead of Sunday's play, as shown in a video released by England on social media.
"But I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team and I’ve got one more trip to do."
The final day of his international career will be overnight tonight, though he'll likely spend it watching from the balcony and unable to help England out on the field. England reached stumps on 103-4, chasing 373 to win.
Stokes has just been in the headlines after late-night incident
Stokes was expected to disclose the reasons for his decision at the end of the day's play.
It might have something to do with his recent involvement in an off-field saga that saw him make front-page news by being dropped by England for the second Test against New Zealand, amid an investigation into an incident that took place on a night out with teammate Gus Atkinson following the first test at Lord’s.
The two players were in a London nightclub when an England team security official was reportedly struck by a rugby player from English club Saracens.
The England and Wales Cricket Board dropped Stokes and Atkinson, and later said they had "breached specific contractual obligations" and were given a written warning. The sport’s independent oversight panel — the Cricket Regulator body — said after its investigation that there was "insufficient evidence to establish that any regulatory breach occurred."
Stokes was recalled for the third Test but England coach Brendon McCullum and team director Rob Key didn't publicly support their captain during the investigation, which was described as disappointing and frustrating by Stokes.
Stokes has been a 'defining' figure, and a controversial one
ECB chairman Richard Thompson said Stokes is "one of England’s greatest ever cricketers and one of the defining figures of his generation".
"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," Thompson said.
“Beyond his remarkable achievements on the field, his performances have inspired many youngsters to embrace cricket with positivity and belief. We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman.”
A controversial figure, too.
In 2018, Stokes was found not guilty of affray following a late-night street brawl the previous year in Bristol, southwest England, that took place after a victory over the West Indies in an international match.
In the aftermath of his arrest, a newspaper website published footage of the fight, which left two men unconscious. Stokes, who had been drinking heavily, said during the trial that he stepped in to defend two gay men who were being verbally abused.
Stokes lost his England vice-captaincy and a place on an Ashes tour, but was reinstated after the not-guilty verdict. He apologized for bringing cricket into disrepute and said he had “learned lessons that will stay with me for much longer.
In 2021, Stokes took a break from cricket to focus on his mental health but returned inside a year and was named as test captain in 2022, partnering with McCullum for what was later termed the "Bazball" era of aggressive, fearless cricket.
What's next for England?
Brook, the captain of England's white-ball teams, also is the test vice-captain, so should be next in line to lead the side — starting with a series against Pakistan in August.
However, Brook has been involved in controversy himself after getting in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, New Zealand, before the recent Ashes tour. Brook was fined and given a final warning over his future conduct, but held on to his white-ball leadership roles.
Brook was overlooked as captain for the second test after Stokes was dropped, with Joe Root — the previous skipper — taking charge. Root is unlikely to want the role again, though.
There's also no obvious replacement for Stokes in the allrounder role, so his departure will leave a huge hole in the team.
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