'Definitely a wake-up call': England captain Jos Buttler on Ben Stokes' shock ODI retirement
Jos Buttler feels Ben Stokes' ODI retirement should serve as a wake-up call.
England's limited-overs captain Jos Buttler said Ben Stokes' shock retirement from ODIs should serve as a wake-up call as talks grow over the packed schedule taking a toll on cricketers. Stokes announced his retirement from the fifty-over format on Monday (July 18) and played his final ODI game for England against South Africa on Tuesday (July 19).
In his statement, Stokes said he felt it was 'unsustainable' for him to continue playing all three formats of the game. The star all-rounder will continue leading England in Tests having recently taken over from Joe Root as the captain in the longest format. Sokes received an emotional farewell in his final ODI appearance for England but the hosts ended up losing the game by 62 runs.
Amid raging debate over the intense schedule in international cricket that many feelwill affect cricketers, who want to play all three formats of the game, England skipper Buttler wants the administrators to learn from Stokes' decision. Ahead of his final ODI, Stokes had said cricketers 'are not cars, you can't just fill us up with petrol or diesel' while explaining the reason behind his ODI retirement.
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"It should definitely be a bit of a wake-up call. Absolutely. Especially with the magnitude of the player. Ben's one of the most recognisable players in world cricket, someone everyone wants to see play in every format. I'm sure there's more to it than the schedules etc but I think in international cricket you always want your best players playing if possible," Buttler said at the post-match presentation ceremony following England's 62-run loss against South Africa in the 1st ODI.
Stokes was one of the heroes of England's maiden ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 where he scored 457 runs and picked up 7 wickets for his team. He also was the top scorer for England in the final against New Zealand with an unbeaten 84 to force the game into a Super Over.
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One of the best all-rounders in the world at present, Stokes played a key role in England's rise in white-ball cricket under former captain Eoin Morgan and his absence will be felt during the ODI World Cup next year. Buttler said it was a bitter-sweet feeling for him as an England fan but insisted Stokes' Test career will benefit from the decision.
"It's bittersweet as an England fan. There's a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in this form of the game. But our loss in ODI cricket is certainly going to be England's gain in Test cricket. That's his favoured format and his priority, especially now he's captain, and I'm sure it will give him much more longevity in the purest form of the game," Buttler said.