After concluding a disappointing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign with a win over Pakistan, Ben Stokes is contemplating his future in ODIs for England. Having come out of ODI retirement last year to support England's Cricket World Cup title defence in India, the decision seemed to backfire as the team exited in the group stage.
Stokes, who initially stepped away from the format to manage his workload as Test captain, expressed the need for careful consideration regarding his ODI involvement. Despite the premature end to England's title defence, Stokes highlighted the upcoming responsibilities as Test captain, indicating a potential factor in his decision-making process.
Reflecting on the possibility of returning to ODI cricket, Stokes emphasized the importance of assessing his physical condition, considering the workload and commitments ahead. With a focus on recovering from a lingering knee issue, Stokes acknowledged the need for a thorough evaluation before making a decision.
I think to answer that one, it goes back to my initial reason for stepping away from this format, to ease my workload. As Test captain, there is a lot of stuff coming up. There's a lot of stuff that I want to do with that Test team. It will be a decision that I'm probably going to have to think about, quite hard, to produce an outcome," Stokes told Sky Sports.
"You never know the body might be in a lot better position than it was in the last 18 months. I put a lot of hard work in away from cricket to give myself the best chance of a quicker recovery. And Christmas and everything is coming up. The main thing to me is getting this knee right and being ready to go," he added.
Despite England's subpar performance in India, they salvaged some pride with victories in their last two matches, securing qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Stokes played a pivotal role in these victories, delivering a powerful century against the Netherlands and an impressive 84 in the win over Pakistan.
The underwhelming campaign has prompted discussions about potential changes within the team. Stokes, relieved from concerns about team composition, expressed confidence in the squad's talent and suggested that decisions about personnel should be made through top-level discussions.
Stokes acknowledged the exciting potential within the team, emphasizing that the decision on team composition lies beyond his control. He encouraged a comprehensive discussion at the top level to determine the future direction of the team. As Stokes prioritizes his recovery and evaluates his ODI involvement, the broader conversation about England's team dynamics continues in the wake of their World Cup performance.
(With agency inputs)
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