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Ben Stokes for England - (Source: AFP)
On Sunday, June 28, Ben Stokes shocked the cricketing world when he announced his retirement from international cricket. The star all-rounder made a surprising decision to hang his boots while the 3rd and final Test between England and New Zealand was underway.
Notably, Ben Stokes broke the news to his teammates during tea on Day 3, a video of which also went viral on social media. The attention turned from the outcome of the match to Ben Stokes’ decision.
Ben Stokes Bid Adieu To The Game On A High
Ben Stokes immediately trended all over social media. Notably, when England took the field post tea, the players gave him a special guard of honour for his contribution to England cricket. Interestingly, he took a wicket off his first ball since announcing retirement.
Eventually, New Zealand players too paid their respect for the England all-rounder and gave him a guard of honour when Stokes opened the innings. Not just the players but the entire cricket fraternity - active and retired cricketers took to social media platforms to congratulate the 35-year-old on an illustrious career.
However, in the latest events, England’s former captain Andrew Strauss has come down heavily on Stokes.
Anderew Strauss Slams Ben Stokes’ Decision
"Like many people, I was dumbfounded yesterday when the whispers started coming out that Ben Stokes was about to announce his retirement. It was both shocking and perhaps inevitable at the same time," remarked Andrew Strauss while speaking on his Linkedin.
For the unversed, Strauss also enjoyed an illustrious career with England, the highlight being leading the team to Ashes in 2009.
"This is a guy that has given everything to the England shirt but also has worn his emotions on his sleeve throughout that journey. The truth is that the job just burns you out, especially if you take on as much responsibility as Ben did in the role," he added.
Also Read: Ben Stokes Selects England's New Test Captain After Retirement
However, Strauss added that he didn't like the fact that Ben Stokes announced his retirement mid-match and stated that the veteran should have waited for the match to end.
"I hesitate to say this, but I’m not convinced that the whole thing was orchestrated the right way yesterday – it seems like a huge distraction to a team that was battling to avoid a series defeat and the cricket in the last session very much had an ‘end of term’ feel to it," Strauss wrote.
"When you are in the middle of a match, the only thing that matters is the performance of the team," he concluded.
Why Did Ben Stokes Announce International Retirement?
Stokes didn't reveal the reason behind his shocking decision, but everyone suspects towards the nightclub drama. For the unversed, when Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the midnight curfew, they headed to the bar and got into a fight.
Stokes and Atkinson's unregistered visit to the bar created a ruckus as they got engaged in a fight with a local rugby player. When the mattter Reached ECB, the board started an investigation and suspended the duo for the 2nd Test, where Joe Root was named stand-in captain.
The investigation concluded that Stokes and Atkinson had no role in the fight, which opened the doors for their return to the England team for 3rd Test. The retirement has come as a shock for everyone because the Ashes will come in 2027.
Also Read: Brendon McCullum Reveals Future Plans With England After Ben Stokes' Exit
