In what is a major boost to England’s plans for defending their ODI world champions crown later this year in India, superstar all-rounder and Test captain, Ben Stokes, is “prepared to make a sensational U-turn and reverse his one-day international retirement”.
The Telegraph has reported that Ben Stokes is “ready to come out of retirement” and feature in the World Cup 2023 where England will be tasked with defending their world champions tag.
Ben Stokes, England’s hero of the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand at Lord’s, had last year made a shocking retirement from the ODI format as it had become “unsustainable” for him to play all three formats and he was then recently appointed the Test skipper.
Now, England don’t play any Test match until their tour of India in January 2024, which has freed up Stokes’ calendar.
Man of the Match in the 2019 WC final, the 32-year-old Ben Stokes was approached by England white-ball captain Ben Stokes and white-ball coach Matthew Mott.
England ready to play Ben Stokes as a pure batter as he struggles with knee injury
Even knowing that Stokes is dealing with a knee injury, which has meant he bowl only 29 overs in the recent Ashes 2023 series, Matthew Mott said that England would be happy to have him play as a specialist batsman, and the coach emphasized Stokes’ importance as a batsman, a fielder, and a leader in the team.
In Ben Stokes’ absence, and in the few ODIs England have played after his retirement, they tried Dawid Malan, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett at number 4, but none of them could really cement his spot.
Mott told the Daily Mail: “I’ve always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field. Watching him throughout the whole Ashes series, he had such a great presence. He’s done it for years when it comes to performing in one-day cricket and so he’s an invaluable commodity.”
Matthew Mott also said that England are willing to take a risk on fast bowler Jofra Archer, who’s been out of action for three months now following a brief stint of five matches in the IPL 2023 after which he returned as his elbow injury flared up again.
“There is a high chance that we will take risk on a proven performer [Archer] that has done it on the world stage,” he said. “We are planning for him to be available. Obviously, a lot of things have to go his way and it will be a tight timeline but with players like that you are going to give them every opportunity to prove their fitness, and so we will keep an open mind.”
England are expected to announce their 18-member preliminary World Cup squad on Tuesday, which will be trimmed to 15 by late September.
