'I'm done': Ben Stokes ends speculation on retirement reversal
What's the story
A day after his international retirement, England captain Ben Stokes has put an end to speculation about a possible comeback for next year's Ashes series. The 35-year-old all-rounder announced his retirement midway through the third and final Test against England. And his career officially ended on Monday after England's defeat. Talking to BBC Sport, Stokes said he was "incredibly content with everything right now" and was "done" with his cricketing career.
Decision factors
'Series of unfortunate events'
After the match, Stokes admitted that some of his recent experiences, including being dropped for the second Test against New Zealand after breaking a team curfew, played a role in his decision to retire. He said, "There has been a series of unfortunate events." However, he also stressed that these incidents were not the sole reason for his decision to retire from international cricket.
Career overview
'Best thing for me right now'
Stokes's international career spanned over 15 years, during which he played 122 Tests, 114 ODIs, and 43 T20s. Despite England's defeat in the third Test and a series loss to New Zealand, Stokes remained calm. He hugged his opponents and waved at the crowd after post-match interviews. The all-rounder said that retirement is the "best thing" for him at this point.
Career reflections
Stokes reflects on his career
Reflecting on his cricketing journey, Stokes said he would miss everything about the game. He added, "I guess that's part of getting older. There's a lot of things you are going to miss." The all-rounder also acknowledged there were some aspects of the sport that he was glad not to deal with anymore.
Career
Stokes's stellar Test career
Stokes concluded a stellar Test career with 252 wickets from 122 matches at an average of 31.03. Among the greatest all-rounders, Stokes also scored 7,273 Test runs at an average of 34.46. He hit 14 centuries and 37 fifties, with the best score of 258. During the Trent Bridge Test, Stokes became only the second all-rounder to attain the Test double of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets. He joined South African legend Jacques Kallis (13,289 runs and 292 wickets).