England captain Ben Stokes will retire from international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand, the team has said.
“This is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England,” Stokes told his England teammates inside the dressing room at the start of play at Trent Bridge on Sunday, in a video released on social media by England Cricket.
The match is headed to a fifth and final day on Monday, with the series on the line at 1-1.
The shocking announcement came 15 minutes before the tea break. Stokes picked up a wicket moments later and was given a standing ovation as he led England off at the end of the session.
“The reasons can wait (about) why,” Stokes said in his dressing-room speech. “But I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team and I’ve got one more trip to do.”
It ends Stokes’ 15-year international career that peaked when he starred for England in its win over New Zealand in the 50-over World Cup final in 2019.
He was also a key player in England’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2022, the same year he became Test captain.
Stokes has decided to quit international cricket during a series when he made front-page news after being dropped by England for the second Test amid an investigation following a night out with teammate Gus Atkinson after the first Test at Lord’s.
The two players were in a London nightclub when a rugby player from English club Saracens reportedly struck an England team security official.
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.
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.”
AP
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