Ben Stokes has put an end to the speculation about his potential return to ODIs with a brief two-word statement regarding his England comeback for the ODI World Cup.
The rumors of his comeback started circulating after his outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup, leading to doubts about his retirement decision from ODIs in 2022.
Recently, Stokes and the England Test team experienced disappointment when the fourth Ashes Test was washed out in Manchester, resulting in Australia retaining the urn with a 2-1 lead.
Despite England’s dominant position during the Test, Stokes and his team were left disheartened by the unfortunate weather that prevented further play.
Although England aims to finish the series on a positive note in the final Test at The Oval, Stokes made a comment that may disappoint English fans.
During this year, Ben Stokes sustained a knee injury while playing a Test against New Zealand
Reports in the media had suggested that he might reconsider his ODI retirement and make himself available for selection in the 2023 World Cup in India.
This speculation gained momentum after his match-winning display in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan.
However, Stokes had previously been non-committal about the possibility of a U-turn, stating that he was not thinking about the World Cup at that moment.
Now, it seems he has made up his mind and reiterated that he remains retired from ODI cricket. After the Ashes series, he plans to take a break and go on holiday.
Stokes has faced some injury concerns this year, including a knee injury during a Test against New Zealand and limited participation in the Indian Premier League and Ashes Tests.
It remains uncertain if these injuries played a role in his decision to stay retired from ODIs. The final Test of the Ashes series is set to begin on July 27th.
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