Ben Stokes opens door for another white-ball comeback ahead of McCullum’s appointment as new England white-ball coach.
Ben Stokes has kept the door ajar for a possible white-ball comeback again.
The England test skipper’s last ODI game was in the 50-over World Cup in India. Although he was an injury absence for the initial games of the tournament.
Ben Stokes emphasises that no such talks have yet taken place. He is concentrating on being fit enough to captain England’s Test tour to Pakistan next month. However, he believes “it’s definitely going to be a yes” if Brendon McCullum asks him to return to play for England’s revived white-ball sides.
The 33-year-old Stokes is famous for having played the game-winning innings in both of England’s World Cup final victories. At Lord’s in 2019 and Melbourne in 2022. Luke Wright, England’s selector, believes both Joe Root and Stokes are still under consideration, though, with the Champions Trophy, the next significant ICC event, quickly approaching in February.
Now that their relationship as captain and coach of the Test team has solidified, Stokes says he is open to a cross-format comeback, but only if it benefits the white-ball team, which has started to turn to a new generation, including this month’s new cap Jacob Bethell, whom he believes will be a “superstar.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity for the white-ball team to experience what Baz has brought to the Test team,” Stokes told Sky Sports during the third ODI at Chester-le-Street. “He’s an incredible coach who speaks with utter commitment. It’s nice to have all three teams now with the same messaging and the same philosophies towards playing cricket.
“If I get the call and [Baz] says, ‘do you want to come and play?’ Then obviously, it’s definitely going to be a yes. But I’m not too upset if I don’t. Because I can just sit back and watch everyone else go out and smack it.
“I’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket for England. And I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved in that form of the game,” he added. “But to be honest, we’ve not even spoken about anything like that whatsoever. I think he’s just letting me concentrate on what I need to concentrate on, especially around the Test team.”