England captain Ben Stokes to retire from international cricket

England's test captain Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket, with his final match being the third test against New Zealand. The decision comes after a distinguished career that saw him lead England to their first 50-over World Cup victory in 2019 and produce one of the most iconic Ashes innings ever. Stokes cited the immense emotional and personal toll of captaincy as the primary reason for stepping down, despite cherishing the honor of leading the national team.

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It's the best thing that I've ever been asked to do captaining this team, captaining this country. It’s the greatest honour that can ever be put on your shoulders as a player but there's another side to it that people don't see and don't understand. Only the people close to you can really see what you do go through emotionally.

"It's the best thing that I've ever been asked to do captaining this team, captaining this country," Stokes told Sky Sports. "It’s the greatest honour that can ever be put on your shoulders as a player but there's another side to it that people don't see and don't understand. Only the people close to you can really see what you do go through emotionally."

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As good as it is there are bits that do get you, do drain you and do affect you in a negative way but overall for four and a half years, or whatever it's been, I've loved every single moment of it.

At Trent Bridge, where the announcement was made, Stokes received a standing ovation from the crowd. He immediately contributed to the match, taking a wicket with his first ball. Later, he played a quickfire innings of 30, spearheading England's pursuit of a victory target, before departing to another ovation. The 35-year-old, who debuted in 2011 and captained the test side since 2022, is known for his aggressive style and leadership.

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The only thing that I want is to be able to walk off the end of that field, regardless of the result, knowing that I've had this group... give everything for the last two days. All the emotion, all that kind of stuff, please can we just wait for the end of the game?

ECB chair Richard Thompson acknowledged the significant loss, stating, "We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman." Stokes will continue his playing career domestically for Durham, but his international career, marked by fearless performances under pressure, has now concluded.

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We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman.