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Stokes exits after 160-run loss
Ben Stokes ended his international career with a 160-run defeat to New Zealand in the third Test at Trent Bridge, with England surrendering the series decider and losing the series 2-1.
Stokes announced his retirement midway through day four of the third and final Test against New Zealand, telling England he would be retiring from all international cricket after the match.
In England’s final innings, they were bowled out for 212, and Stokes watched from the balcony as England’s chase fell short.
The defeat marked England’s first home series loss of three or more Tests since 2012, and it came after New Zealand became the first touring team to win a three-match series in England having lost the first Test.
Stokes’ final match also followed the England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary process in which he and Gus Atkinson were handed a written conduct warning for breaching "specific contractual obligations".
Reactions and leadership questions
Michael Vaughan said there must be more change at the top of English cricket after Stokes’s international career ended with the 160-run defeat, telling the BBC: "There must be change after what we've seen here in terms of a cricketing sense now over a period of time."
Vaughan added he would be "absolutely staggered if this leadership group is still together (after the New Zealand series)," as England’s loss condemned them to a seventh defeat in nine Tests.
Jofra Archer said no longer having Stokes as a team-mate would be difficult, adding: "It's going to take some getting used to," and describing him as "a big miss."
Andrew Strauss said he was "dumbfounded" by the timing of Stokes’s exit, saying on LinkedIn: "Like many people I was dumbfounded yesterday (Sunday) when the whispers started coming out that Ben Stokes was about to announce his retirement," and arguing the retirement seemed like "a huge distraction" to a team battling to avoid a series defeat.
On the field, Stokes took a wicket with the first ball after the news broke at 3.25pm, and Sky Sports reported he then received a standing ovation at tea and a guard of honour from his England team-mates.
What comes next for England
After Stokes’s retirement, England’s Test schedule continues with a three-Test series against Pakistan beginning at Headingley on August 19, before which they play five T20 matches and three ODI’s against India.
The BBC reported Stokes finished with 7,273 runs and 252 wickets in Tests, and it framed his captaincy legacy around his 24 wins from his 44 matches in charge.
Sky Sports said Stokes had been contracted until the end of 2027, and it described the leadership question as a "huge void" with only Harry Brook and Joe Root named as candidates.
The Guardian reported that after the conclusion of the game England would be out of action for seven weeks before the first of three games against Pakistan starts in August, giving time for a replacement to be identified.
Stokes’ own account of his decision included telling Sky Sports: "This is my last two days as your captain and the last two days representing England," as he said the reasons could wait while he asked everyone to "give everything" for the team.
