England captain Ben Stokes announces retirement from international cricket

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Stokes issued a statement shortly before tea on day four of the decisive third Test against the Kiwis, having informed his team-mates in the dressing at Trent Bridge before the start of play.

England Cricket wrote on X: "One of England's all-time greatest captains, Ben Stokes, has decided to retire from international cricket at the end of this Test match.

"Ben, you have been the most inspirational captain, leader and legend this team could have ever hoped for. We love you so much and wish you all the best in your retirement.

"England will never be the same again."

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As the news broke, Stokes had just completed a mammoth ten-over spell in Nottingham, with news breaking to a stunned crowd.

Stokes said in a clip shared by the ECB: "There’s something that I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England.

"Reasons can wait but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do.

"And the only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone please just do the same? We’ve done a lot of hard work still to do, and 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 of men and one lady (fielding coach Sarah Taylor) give everything for the last two days.

"The only thing I want is just for everyone to give it not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team and everything else we’ve got going forward for you blokes.

"Let’s just go out there and f***ing give absolutely everything for another two days because that’s my only intention and that’s where all my energy is right now.

"(I’ve) got the emotional side out of it but now it’s time to go to work and everyone else, please just come with me."

Richard Thompson, ECB Chair, said: "Ben Stokes leaves the international game as one of England’s greatest ever cricketers and one of the defining figures of his generation.

"His performances under pressure, his relentless competitiveness and his ability to produce the extraordinary when it matters most have given me and millions of other fans memories that will endure forever.

"Whether inspiring victory in the biggest moments - not least driving England to World Cup wins in 2019 and 2022 and his heroic Ashes innings at Headingley - or leading the Test team with courage and conviction, Ben has been a talismanic figure in English cricket.

"Beyond his remarkable achievements on the field, his performances have inspired many youngsters to embrace cricket with positivity and belief. We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman.

"On behalf of the ECB, I want to thank Ben for everything he has given to our sport and wish him and his family every success and happiness for the future."

Former team-mate Stuart Broad said on commentary for Sky Sports: "He is a talisman of English cricket. He will be remembered wearing that Three Lions with a crown on top very proudly.

"A complete match-winner, someone that won’t look at the numbers, look at the moments of his career.“Someone that’s always there in the big moments of games, giving absolutely everything."

Angus Fraser, former England cricket selector, told LBC he was "stunned" by news of Stokes's retirement, as he praised him as a “once in a generation cricketer”

“It’s a shock really,” he told LBC’s Henry Riley.

“Then I suppose you're trying to work out whether it's the right thing in the middle of a game or whatever”.

He added that there was a “Bothamesque way about his cricket that he runs up on the first ball that he bowls after the announcement has become public, he takes a wicket…. but he's a once-in-a-generation cricketer.

“We're going to miss him, but we also have to be grateful for the entertainment and joy that he's provided people over the last 15 years or so.

Asked if there was a specific moment that displayed Stokes's talent, Fraser said it was more "the way that he's gone about it."

He said that while Andrew Flintoff was “great”, he’s “not a good cricketer as Ben Stokes…. And then all of a sudden Stokes comes along, and you look at the performances and the hundreds, the way he went about his work the 100% commitment, the, the hard slog, the difficult over.... And it's the way that he went about it and the performances he produced in really testing circumstances that I think stand him out.

He added: “ Cricket's been in the headlines for the right reasons and obviously for the wrong reasons on occasions too. But he's certainly sort of— cricket's been a far better and more interesting game because of his involvement. “

Fraser went on to say that Stokes would be remembered as right up “there at the top of England cricketers.

He said the question of who will now replace Stokes as captain was a “difficult one”.

Harry Brook “has some work to do,” he added.  “There aren't that many people jumping out other than him, to be honest.”

Former England cricketer Darren Gough said announcing his retirement "during day 4 of a Test Match is quite a remarkable statement. I thought you'd wait till after the game.”

He told LBC News' Pip Tomson that Stokes was a "once in a generation player" and "probably has another 50 or 60 Test wickets and probably another couple of thousand runs.”

The whole scenario is "just weird", he went on. "“There'll be probably more heads to roll. That's all I would say about it.”

“I love Ben Stokes. I think he's an unbelievable cricketer, an unbelievable leader, and I thought out of all of it he was the one that was going to survive, but he's the first one to go.”