Ben Stokes recently announced his retirement from international cricket after the end of the third Test match against the New Zealand national cricket team at Trent Bridge. He took this decision in the morning before the fourth day’s play and informed his teammates about stepping down from the captaincy and ultimately retiring from all formats of the game.
In a video uploaded on social media by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), he is seen talking to all the England cricketers present in the dressing room and giving a speech, telling them about the decision, and that he wants his entire team to work hard as he wants to give everything possible in his last Test match.
Ben Stokes takes up new role soon after announcing retirement
Surprisingly, after bowling and setting a target of 373 runs for New Zealand, Ben Stokes has been seen in a new role in his last Test match, as he is opening the innings with Ben Duckett. Emilio Gay was put in command and walked slowly, trying to understand what was happening. Stokes, who opened twice in his Test career, did not take strike.
In 2024, opening the batting, he played a blistering and unbeaten inning of 57 off 28 balls while chasing against West Indies at Edgbaston. Yet, he scored an unbeaten 78 off 57 balls while opening against the same opponents in 2020. The England captain would like to play a similar innings in his final Test match.
Ben Stokes included in the list of top players
Ben Stokes has established himself as one of the most adaptable cricketers of all time. During his 15-year Test career, he became the first Englishman to bat at every position from one to eleven. Apart from Ben Stokes, only three players in the history of Test cricket have successfully batted in all 11 positions in their career: Wilfred Rhodes, Vinod Mankad and Sydney Gregory.
Earlier, as England chased down the target of 299 runs against the Black Caps, Jonny Bairstow played a blistering inning of 136 runs in 92 balls (including a century in 77 balls), while captain Ben Stokes contributed an unbeaten 75 runs. If they chase 373 runs, it will be their most successful run chase on this ground.
Many more to follow…
