Ben Stokes puts an end to ODI retirement U-turn rumors, contemplates knee surgery post-Ashes series

After contributing to England's triumph at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia last year, Stokes became the focus of expectations for a potential return from ODI retirement.

New Delhi: England Test captain Ben Stokes revealed that he has no plans to reverse his decision to retire from one-day cricket and play at this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and will take a break to sort his chronic knee problem.

Stokes helped England to success at last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia and many hoped he would come out of ODI retirement to help his country try and emulate their efforts in the shortest format and defend their 50-over World Cup title in India.

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But Stokes, who announced his retirement from ODIs last year in July, said he remains retired from 50-over cricket and that he was looking forward to taking a break after the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval that commences on Thursday.

“I’m retired. I’m going on holiday after this game and that’s as far as I’m thinking,” Stokes reiterated, as quoted by the ICC.

Stokes hurt his knee during England’s tour of New Zealand at the start of the year and managed to play just two matches for the Chennai Super Kings at this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League.

The knee issue has restricted the star all-rounder to bowling only 29 overs in the Ashes and did not bowl during the two recent Tests at Headingley and Old Trafford but has already produced some superb individual efforts with the bat during the Ashes series.

Stokes admitted the fact he is unable to bowl because of his knee concern is making him consider whether or not to get surgery at the completion of the Ashes, with England’s next Test series not scheduled until they travel to India to take on Rohit Sharma’s side at the start of 2024.

“It’s something I obviously want to get sorted,” Stokes said when asked if he would consider going under the knife. “The times in which I’ve seen specialists and stuff like that there has been cricket around. So, as it’s been manageable, we’ve just cracked on.”

“But I think that is a good time to have some serious conversations with medics around what is potentially something I could do to get a role in which I can bowl without having to worry about my knee. Those are conversations we will be able to have in that time off,” he said.

Stokes further said he hoped to captain England in the next Ashes series in Australia at the end of 2025.

“I mean obviously how this series has gone and how close we were it does make you think when we go to Australia do we have a better chance than the last few times we’ve been there? Hopefully, it’d be nice to go out to Australia in 2025 and have a good chance of winning,” he said.