Star England all-rounder Ben Stokes, announced on Monday that he will be retiring from ODIs after the series opener against South Africa, which will be played at his home ground in Durham. Stokes released a statement on social media to announce his retirement from the 50-over format, stating that playing all three formats was "just unsustainable" for him. Star India batter Virat Kohli, who has often clashed against Stokes on the field, paid the all-rounder the ultimate tribute."You're the most competitive bloke I've ever played against. Respect," Kohli commented on Stokes' Instagram post.
"I will play my last game for England in ODI cricket on Tuesday in Durham. I have decided to retire from this format," Stokes wrote in his statement."This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. We have had an incredible journey on the way," he wrote."As hard as a decision as this was to come to, it's not as hard dealing with the fact I can't give my teammates 100% of myself in this format anymore. The England shirt deserves nothing less from anyone who wears it," he further added."Three formats are just unsustainable for me now. Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give Jos and the rest of the team their all. It's time for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years," he said.
"Ben Stokes has had an incredible international career in ODI cricket, culminating in his match-winning performance at the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final," Key said. "I know this must have been a tough decision, but I completely understand why he has reached this conclusion."I'm sure that when we look back on Ben's career and see this as one of the reasons he will play 120-plus Tests and help England in T20 matches and World Cups for many years to come."It is a typically selfless decision that will benefit England long-term."Clare Connor, interim ECB CEO, called Stokes an "inspirational figure" and said that the board completely understands the reasoning that went behind his decision to retire from the 50-over format."Ben Stokes is a superstar in every format of our game," Connor said. "His remarkable contribution to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final at Lord's in 2019 enabled England Men to win that prestigious trophy for the first time.
