Ben Stokes Reveals Why He Suddenly Announced Test Retirement

Stokes retired from Tests after the New Zealand series [Source: AFP]

England suffered a humiliation in the 2025-26 Ashes series against Australia, and New Zealand humbled them at home, and this was the breaking point for their Test captain, Ben Stokes, who decided to announce his shocking Test retirement.

Midway through the third Test match against the Kiwis, Stokes revealed his retirement plans, and it left everyone in shock as the Durham player was expected to lead the team in the upcoming home Test series against Pakistan.

Stokes revealed why he retired from Test cricket abruptly

Stokes was involved in off-field incidents, and many believed that was the reason why the southpaw stepped away from cricket. However, for the first time since his retirement, Stokes spoke publicly about why he took that sudden decision midway through the game.

"There's a lot to it that I think is just not for today or for the near future,' he told the Love of Cricket podcast. I look at planning ahead and I was going "We've got the Ashes in 2027" and I think you know I spoke to (wife) Clare a lot about this even before I took the decision," Stokes told Daily Mail.

"You always plan your retirement, right? And it was 2027 Ashes, whatever happens there you're going 'Not sure I go past that. And then over time sort of I was (thinking) "How am I going to get there? How am I going to get to Australia 2027 with everything, with how everything is feeling at the moment?"

Stokes' off-field issues contributed to his sudden retirement

England outplayed New Zealand in the first Test in June 2026, and after the victory, Stokes was involved in a nightclub incident alongside his teammate, Gus Atkinson.

The duo breached the team protocol by staying out past a midnight curfew at a London nightclub, where they got involved in an altercation. The duo was present when a member of the ECB security staff was left bloodied and in need of medical attention.

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A disciplinary hearing took place, wherein Stokes was found guilty of breaching ECB’s Code of Conduct, and alongside Atkinson, Stokes was not picked for the second Test against the Kiwis, but he was cleared to play the series finale.

Reportedly, the all-rounder felt that he didn’t get enough support from ECB Director Rob Key, and this was one of the contributing factors towards his retirement decision.

Stokes plans to become England head coach one day

Despite his international retirement, Stokes plans to stay in the game as he recently played for Durham in the Metro Bank domestic ODI Cup. Moreover, he is in talks with BBL side Sydney Sixers for a mega contract for the upcoming season.

Furthermore, the former England captain revealed that he plans to become the national team coach in the near future.

"I'm doing my level three coaching now while I'm still playing because I want when the day comes that I'm not playing anymore,' he said.

"I want to be a coach. I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game which is to be a coach. And would I love to be coach of England one day? Absolutely. I would love to be able to do that. Do I think it's going to happen? I don't know. No idea."

Currently, Brendon McCullum coaches England’s white-ball teams, while Stephen Fleming was recently appointed the Test head coach. Once their tenure ends, only then can Stokes think about applying for the head coach role.

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