Is Ben Stokes on the Brink of an ODI Comeback?

England Test team skipper Ben Stokes is currently out of the team due to injury. The 33-year-old left-handed batter has been battling injury for a long time. Due to this Stokes failed to participate in IND T20 League 2024 and he recently missed the 2-match test series against Sri Lanka. He got this injury while playing in the Men’s Hundred ball tournament. However, the English side did not have a memorable World Series in 2023, the former World Champion finished 7th in the points table under the leadership of Jos Buttler.

The Kiwi-born stalwart all-rounder was also a part of the team in the tournament, but after the World Series, he announced his retirement from ODI cricket. Apart from this, Stokes could not play in the T20 World Series 2024 due to injury, but now this all-rounder has expressed his desire to play in the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be played in ODI format.

Due to poor fitness, the English man has not been able to play cricket continuously for a long time. The injury also affected his performance. But now Stokes has decided to withdraw his retirement from ODI cricket as well as play in the Champions Trophy 2025. However, he is waiting for a call from a special person.

Stokes gave an interview to Sky Sports after the third ODI match played with Australia. In which he said that I have played a lot of ODI matches for England. I am very happy with whatever I have achieved in this format. In such a situation, if there is any plan to include me in the team and I get a call from English’s red ball coach Brendon McCullum asking me to come and play, then my answer will be yes.

“But I’m not going to be too disappointed if I don’t - it means that I can just sit back and watch everyone else go out and smack it. Me and Baz [McCullum] have not spoken about anything like that whatsoever, added Stokes.”

Ben Stokes's ODI career

Ben Stokes featured in 114 ODIs for England. Stokes scored 3463 runs which included 5 centuries and 24 half-centuries. His highest individual score in this format is 182 runs. Apart from this, the English all-rounder took 74 wickets while bowling with a best bowling figure of 5/61.