England Test captain Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from international cricket, effective at the end of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The 35-year-old informed his teammates on Sunday morning, with head coach Brendon McCullum described as 'pretty taken aback' by the decision.
Stokes, who took a wicket with his first delivery after the news broke, said he had been considering retirement since the first Test at Lord's, which he described as 'a very, very strange week' that brought back negative feelings. He cited a difficult period following England's 4-1 Ashes defeat last winter and a serious facial injury in February.
The all-rounder retires with 7,273 runs and 252 wickets in Test cricket, becoming only the second player after Jacques Kallis to achieve the double of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets. He also played a key role in England's 2019 World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup victories.
Stokes said he 'absolutely loves cricket' but acknowledged that some moments over the past 12 months made him feel he didn't love it. He praised captaincy as 'the best thing I've ever been asked to do' but admitted it can be draining emotionally. Joe Root, a close friend, was among the first to learn of the decision and supported Stokes's choice.
England's red-ball side will be out of action for seven weeks before a three-match series against Pakistan in August, giving time to identify a replacement. Harry Brook, currently white-ball captain, has been Stokes's vice-captain.
