Ben Stokes announces retirement from International Cricket

Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a celebrated career that saw him become one of England's greatest all-rounders and a defining figure of his generation.

Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a celebrated career that saw him become one of England’s greatest all-rounders and a defining figure of his generation. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the news on Sunday, with Stokes set to end his England career following the conclusion of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand in Nottingham.

As news of the 35-year-old’s decision spread, he received a standing ovation from the crowd at Trent Bridge, with more cheers shortly afterwards when he dismissed New Zealand’s Zak Foulkes on the fourth day of the deciding Test. The announcement came after Stokes had returned to England duty at Trent Bridge, having been omitted from a 253-run defeat in the second Test at the Oval for breaking a midnight curfew alongside teammate Gus Atkinson following the first-Test win over New Zealand.

In a clip shared by the ECB, Stokes told his teammates: “There’s something that I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England. Reasons can wait but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do.” He asked his teammates to give everything for the remaining two days, adding: “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 of men and one lady (fielding coach Sarah Taylor) give everything for the last two days.”

Stokes, captain of the Test side since 2022, has been responsible for some of England’s most remarkable performances in both Test and limited-overs cricket since his debut 15 years ago. His unbeaten 84 against New Zealand in the 2019 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s helped take the match into a Super Over, where England sealed a thrilling victory. Weeks later, his extraordinary 135 not out guided England to a remarkable one-wicket win in the third Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley. A stunning 258 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2016 remains his highest Test score, with Stokes also having taken more than 250 Test wickets.

ECB chairman Richard Thompson paid tribute to the departing star, saying: “Ben Stokes leaves the international game as 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. Whether inspiring victory in the biggest moments not least driving England to World Cup wins in 2019 and 2022 and his heroic Ashes innings at Headingley or leading the Test team with courage and conviction, Ben has been a talismanic figure in English cricket.” As Stokes prepares to walk off the field for the final time, he leaves behind a legacy of resilience, brilliance, and moments that will be cherished by cricket fans for generations.