Ben Stokes announces shocking retirement from international cricket
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Ben Stokes is leading England in the 3rd test against New Zealand.
The England Cricket Team Test captain Ben Stokes, who is leading the side in the third test against New Zealand, made a shocking decision on Sunday, June 28. Stokes captained England to victory in the opening game of the series but was ruled out of the second clash for breaching the ECB’s Code of Conduct.
In his absence, Joe Root was appointed as the captain, but England lost the 2nd test against New Zealand. In the third game, Stokes was reinstated as the captain after he was cleared by ECB.
The third test commenced on July 25 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. With centuries by Tom Latham (151) and Devon Conway (157), New Zealand piled up 438/10 in the first innings. Bowling out England for 354 runs, the visitors bagged a decent lead in the first innings.
Day 4 of the match is underway on June 28 and Black Caps have gained a dominant position in the series. They have earned a lead of over 300 runs in the second innings with one more day left in the match. Till the tea break of Day 4, Tom Latham & Co. have got a lead of 318 runs.
Ben Stokes announces his retirement from international cricket
On Day 4 of the clash, which is underway at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket. The news shocked the entire cricket fraternity as Stokes is often credited for developing England into one of the most dominating sides in Test cricket. The all-rounder will be retiring after the end of this game.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) shared a heart-warming post after Stokes’ captaincy. “One of England’s all-time greatest captains, Ben Stokes, has decided to retire from international cricket at the end of this Test match. Ben, you have been the most inspirational captain, leader and legend this team could have ever hoped for. We love you so much and wish you all the best in your retirement. England will never be the same again,” ECB wrote on X.
Stokes has shown a wonderful performance in the ongoing test. In the first innings, he clinched a four-wicket haul. With the bat, he could only add 15 runs. Till the tea break in 2nd innings, he has bagged two wickets in his kitty. Despite his efforts, England are on the back foot in the match and need to come up with a fabulous show on Day 5 to win the encounter.
Notably, England are in the seventh spot in the points table in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) with a win percentage of 26.39. A series defeat at home will shatter England’s hopes of making it to the WTC 2025-27 final.
When did Ben Stokes announce his retirement from international cricket?
Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday, June 28.
Who is leading the ENG vs NZ Test series?
The two-match test series is tied 1-1 after two games.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.