Ben Stokes announces shock retirement from international cricket

England captain Ben Stokes has sensationally announced that he will retire from international cricket at the conclusion of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

The 35-year-old all-rounder revealed his decision to teammates before the fourth day of the deciding Test. Stokes missed the second Test following an incident at a London nightclub but returned to lead the side this week, having previously only referred to captaining the team "this week".

A stellar career

Stokes's career includes some of the most iconic moments in English cricket history. In 2019, his unbeaten 84 helped England win the ODI World Cup for the first time, defeating New Zealand in a thrilling final. Weeks later, he single-handedly won the third Ashes Test at Headingley with an innings of 135 not out. He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year that same year.

Overall, Stokes has played 122 Test matches for England, 44 of which as captain, along with 114 ODIs and 43 T20s. He also played a key role in England's T20 World Cup triumph in 2022.

The announcement

The retirement news broke while Stokes was in the middle of a bowling spell on the fourth day. Incredibly, with his first delivery after the announcement, he took the wicket of Zak Foulkes, caught at second slip. New Zealand had extended their lead past 300 at the time.

• Stokes informed his England teammates of his decision before day four.
• He missed the second Test due to a nightclub incident.
• He took a wicket immediately after the retirement news became public.
• He will end his international career after the third Test against New Zealand.
• His international career spanned 15 years.

Stokes' retirement marks the end of an era for English cricket. The final day of the Test will be his last appearance in an England shirt, and his teammates have been urged to "give everything" for the remainder of the match.