Splendid: Stokes leaves the international arena as one of England’s most celebrated all-rounders.
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The guarded player and the maverick talisman. English cricket has often thrown up players in these two categories. In the segment of the magician star, lit up by Ian Botham, and briefly embellished by Andrew Flintoff, Ben Stokes walked in with the swagger of a pirate courting both thrills and self-destruction.
Born in New Zealand, but with talent burnished in England, Stokes always hinted that a sporting miracle was possible. Often, he delivered on that count, as player and captain, even if towards the end, an Ashes defeat Down Under and the latest trauma against the visiting Black Caps left him ragged.
As the 35-year-old called time on his international career, he leaves with fine statistics — 7273 Test runs and 252 wickets, besides critical numbers in limited-overs cricket too.
It was never easy for Stokes. He sat on his haunches after watching Carlos Brathwaite hammer him for four sixes in the 2016 ICC World T20 final at Eden Gardens. A lesser man would have dissipated, but Stokes emerged stronger.
As he departs, there will be talk about his mental health issues, which he candidly admitted. And there will be scrutiny over his wretched run-ins at watering holes. The latest episode during the current series against New Zealand left him on the bench for the second Test. Whether that forced him to walk away will remain a matter of speculation.
But in the larger picture, Stokes lent belief within the England ranks. He helped Old Blighty win its first 50-over World Cup, thanks to his heroics at Lord’s in 2019. In the same year, his unbeaten 135 humbled Australia in an Ashes joust at Headingley.
Stokes the batter may have outshone the bowler but he always ran in hard, was willing to be both the stock and shock bowler, while James Anderson and Stuart Broad gained the accolades. And as a left-handed exponent with the willow, he could scythe through the best attacks, and if needed down the shutters.
Obviously the synergy he shared with coach Brendon McCullum will be analysed as the duo believed that every move on the ground was an act of pressing forward towards victory. It was spectacular to watch when it worked and frustrating to endure when it backfired.
Stokes leaves with an aura even if his sporting twilight was dull. When nostalgia draws Botham into conversations, Stokes would not be far and that is a splendid achievement.
Published – June 29, 2026 08:27 pm IST
