England captain Ben Stokes has definitively ruled out any possibility of reversing his international retirement, stating he is "done" with the sport. Stokes, who announced his decision to step away from international cricket, rejected suggestions he might consider a return for next year's Ashes series.
Head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed he attempted to persuade Stokes to reconsider his decision after the all-rounder informed him of his plans on Sunday. Stokes' international career, spanning 15 years, included 122 Test matches, 114 one-day internationals, and 43 T20s, marking him as one of England's greatest cricketers.
Following England's 160-run defeat in their recent series, which resulted in a 2-1 series loss, Stokes appeared composed. He shared embraces with opposition players and briefly waved to the crowd after his post-match interviews. Stokes had previously stated on Sunday that retirement felt like the "best thing" for him.
On Monday, Stokes elaborated on the factors influencing his decision. He acknowledged that recent events, including being dropped from the second Test against New Zealand for breaking a team curfew, had contributed to his choice. "Again, there has been a series of unfortunate events happen," Stokes said. "Am I sure over the next couple of weeks we will be able to decompress and say, 'Has it contributed?' Maybe. But the overriding fact is that over the last six to 12 months everything I have done over a long period has taken its toll. Being in this role, as good as it is, as exciting as it is, and as big an honour as it is, there are some negative aspects."