Veteran England all-rounder Ben Stokes has made a significant decision to end his retirement from One Day International (ODI) cricket, enhancing England’s squad as they prepare to defend their title on the global stage. Stokes, a pivotal figure in the English team, had previously bid adieu to the 50-over format last year. Notably, he had taken over the Test captaincy from premier batter Joe Root for the European giants.
Having played a crucial role in England’s victory at the ICC T20 World Cup last year, Stokes finds himself back in action. The reigning world champions have included Stokes in their roster for the upcoming four-match ODI series against New Zealand. Set to take on New Zealand at home in September, the 2019 ODI World Cup winners are poised for another challenging encounter. Stokes’ return for England’s next ODI assignment elicited a succinct three-letter tweet, creating a buzz across the internet. This concise response has quickly gained popularity among fans and followers of the sport.
When announcing his retirement from ODIs last year, Stokes had acknowledged that representing England across all three formats was not sustainable for him. Despite carrying a longstanding knee injury, he even captained England during the high-profile Ashes series against Australia. However, recent struggles with his knee have limited his role as a regular seamer. In the five-match Test series against Australia, Stokes bowled only 29 overs.
Commenting on the situation, England men’s national selector Luke Wright expressed, “Any series against New Zealand is closely contested and offers us an excellent opportunity to measure ourselves against one of the world’s best teams. The return of Ben Stokes adds to this quality, with his match-winning prowess and leadership. I am confident that every fan will relish seeing him don the England ODI shirt once again.”
