Ben Stokes to retire from ODIs: Potential reason behind England star’s decision

Ben Stokes on Monday announced that he will retire from ODI cricket. The England all-rounder, in his statement, said that playing all three formats is no longer sustainable for him. 

Stokes said that the ODI against South Africa on Tuesday will be his last. England are set to face Temba Bavuma and co in a three-match series. 

Also read: Stokes to retire from ODIs: England hails player as ‘inspirational figure’

In his retirement announcement, Stokes explained his decision. The 31-year-old, who was made England’s Test captain this year, said he will give full commitment to the longest format and T20Is. However, playing ODIs is not sustainable. 

England have a packed cricketing schedule. They finished the ODI series against India on Sunday and will begin a three-match affair vs South Africa, starting two days later. Stokes has been rested for the T20I series against the Proteas and The Hundred. 

Also read: Ben Stokes retires from ODI cricket: Fans react

“To manage the workload and fitness of England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes, he will not feature in the Vitality IT20 series and The Hundred competition, which is due to start next month,” the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Friday.

Stokes has played 104 ODIs, scored 2919 runs at an average of 39.45. He scored three tons and 21 fifties. He also has 74 wickets. 

“Three formats are just unsustainable for me now. Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give Jos and the rest of the team their all. It’s time for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years,” Stokes said in his retirement statement. 

“I will give everything I have to Test cricket, and now, with this decision, I feel I can also give my total commitment to the T20 format. I would like to wish Jos Buttler, Matthew Mott, the players and the support staff every success going forward. We have made great strides in white-ball cricket over the past seven years, and the future looks bright,” he added.

Also read: Stokes to retire from ODIs: Kohli calls England star ‘most competitive bloke’

Ben Stokes captained the ODI team last year, when they defeated Pakistan 3-0 in the Royal London Series. 

Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, said, “Ben Stokes has had an incredible international career in ODI cricket, culminating in his match-winning performance at the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final. I know this must have been a tough decision, but I completely understand why he has reached this conclusion.”

“I’m sure that when we look back on Ben’s career and see this as one of the reasons, he will play 120-plus Tests and help England in T20 matches and World Cups for many years to come. It is a typically selfless decision that will benefit England long-term,” he added.