England captain Ben Stokes stunned the cricket world by announcing his retirement from international cricket during the third Test against New Zealand. The all-rounder later revealed that burnout and the recent nightclub controversy played a major role in his decision to step away from international cricket.
Stokes announced his retirement during the fourth day of the Test before the tea break at Trent Bridge on Sunday, June 29. The left-handed batter then promoted himself to open the batting in England's chase of 373. He scored a quick 30 off 20 balls before Zak Foulkes dismissed him in his final international innings.
I Just Burned Myself Out - Ben Stokes Explains Why He Retired from International Cricket
Ben Stokes dismissed suggestions that his retirement was linked to the recent disciplinary action or his suspension for the second Test at The Oval. He said that the decision had been building for months and was not influenced by recent events.
The England captain revealed that the turning point came during the Ashes tour of Australia, where England lost the series 4-1. Stokes admitted that returning to Lord's for the opening Test brought back difficult memories and made him realize how mentally exhausted he had become.
"The Lord's Test, for me, was something that brought back negative feelings about where I was in my career. I'd worked so hard since getting home to put things right, or at least that's what I thought I was doing. I put so much time and effort into doing that and I just burned myself out."
It's Never Easy With Me - Ben Stokes on Nightclub Controversy
Ben Stokes said that the recent nightclub controversy was not the main reason behind his retirement, but admitted it added to an already difficult period in his career. He said the events at Lord's and the following weeks left him mentally exhausted.
"There was a build-up to it, how things were during the whole week at Lord's and then another moment when I sat next to Joe Root in the dressing room. Obviously another scenario happened that added to it. It's never easy with me, is it? It was an unfortunate situation to be involved in over the past two weeks."
Stokes retires as one of England's greatest all-rounders. He won the ODI and T20 World Cups, captained England in 44 Tests with 24 victories, and finished his Test career with more than 7,000 runs, over 250 wickets, 14 centuries, and six five-wicket hauls.
Being Back at Durham... I Found a New Lease of Life" - Ben Stokes on his Future
Stokes said that returning to Durham during his suspension from the second Test helped him reconnect with cricket. He admitted he could not rediscover that same feeling after returning to the England setup, which convinced him that retirement was the right decision.
"Being back at Durham, when I wasn't playing in the second Test, I found a new lease of life for the game, but unfortunately I just couldn't get that feeling back this week. Right now I am buzzing, but there have been moments this week that have been really tough and it just adds to everything."
Before announcing his retirement publicly, Stokes informed his teammates in the dressing room. He admitted the decision was personal but believed it would help him continue enjoying cricket.
"It might sound quite selfish but this decision is genuinely the best thing for me right now. I hope it's the best thing for the team going forward, but I also hope it's what will allow me to keep loving this game that has given me so much."
