England pace bowler Jofra Archer, who was adjudged England’s Player of the Series, became emotional while talking about former skipper Ben Stokes at the post-series presentation at Trent Bridge. He said it would take him a while to get used to an English dressing room without Ben Stokes.
“Not just as a captain, but as a friend, you know, [he is] someone you can always go to,” Archer said. “Mid-off, mid-on, you know, wherever he is, you can always come, you bounce ideas off him. It’s going to be a big miss. I think the hardest part is going to imagine the changing room without him. Every game I’ve played, he’s been there. Rooty’s been there as well you know. So him being gone, I really don’t want to look forward to it. We don’t have a choice now, but it’s going to take some getting used to.”
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes’ long-time teammate Joe Root, who played alongside him, said the same, while praising his influence on the team and the public as well.
“It’s going to be strange turning up in and around this environment, not seeing him around,” Root told Sky Sports. “You’ve seen some of the brilliant things that he’s managed to amass as a player. I don’t think many players can say they’ve changed the way you look at the game. His influence has had on so many different players, whether it be the guys within our dressing room and previous dressing rooms, but also people watching in the crowd, young players, kids growing up. In all facets of the game, it’s incredible what he’s been able to do over such a long period of time.”
Meanwhile, England head coach Brendon McCullum also said that he tried talking to all-rounder Ben Stokes out of his decision to retire from international cricket after England’s 160-run defeat to New Zealand at Trent Bridge that saw them concede the series 2-1 as well.
“When he confirmed to me yesterday that he was going to retire, first I tried to talk him down (laughs) and… [it] became pretty obvious that he had made his decision and he was at peace within,” McCullum told Sky Sports following England’s defeat on Monday. “From that point of view, I guess your emotion then leads on to just a bit of sadness really because you have been on this journey together for four years and it’s been a real thrill. I feel very privileged that I’ve been able to work intimately with Stokesy throughout that and consider him a friend, a good friend.”
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