'Anything is possible': ECB's Rob Key on Ben Stokes' potential Ashes return
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Anything is possible': ECB's Rob Key on Ben Stokes' potential Ashes return")
'Anything is possible' ECB's Rob Key on Ben Stokes' potential Ashes return Photograph: (Others)
ECB managing director Rob Key has left the door open for Ben Stokes to make a sensational Ashes return, declaring "anything is possible" following the former captain's sudden Test retirement.
Days after Australia head coach Andrew McDonald talked up the idea of Ben Stokes’ potential return to the side for his final hurrah at next year’s Ashes, ECB’s managing director Robert Key said, ‘anything is possible’. Stokes hung up his cricket boots following a controversial ‘London nightclub’ episode midway through the home Test series against New Zealand this summer, shocking cricket fans worldwide. Even though McDonald feels that Stokes, 35, has plenty of cricket left in him, the former England captain decided against continuing for his national team. He, however, features for Durham in the County Championship.
"I think the fairytale would be that he comes back out of retirement and takes on one more Ashes and builds a lot of hype on the way in. So, if you're looking at promoting that series, that's probably the angle that you would want, that he comes out of retirement.
"To me, he's still got a lot of good cricket left in him. So, yeah, it'll be a fascinating watch. I think whoever the new head coach that comes in potentially has a conversation with him. We don't know why Ben left. I don't think there's been anything on the record around the definitive reason as to why. But he may have just called it a day on Test cricket, and that's it,” McDonald said of Stokes while speaking to SEN Radio.
Stokes' Shocking Retirement and Future
Meanwhile, midway through the fourth day of the deciding third Test at Trent Bridge, the ECB publicly announced Stokes’ decision to relinquish the Test captaincy and retire from international cricket. England’s Test hero said, ‘he didn’t have any fight left in him' upon confirming his retirement call at the end of the day’s play. Soon after, the ECB also sacked the Test head coach Brendon McCullum; they later appointed his compatriot and former CSK coach, Stephen Fleming, as his successor, while naming Joe Root as the new Test captain.
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Speaking on the changes in the leadership group and rumours around Stokes’ comeback for the 2027 Ashes at home, Key said, "It would be a brilliant story if he does. He hasn't [indicated a change of heart], but I wouldn't be surprised. Anything is possible with Ben."
When asked about their relationship following Stokes’ manner of retirement, Key said, "No, not at all. Not as far as I'm concerned."
Even though Stokes backed Harry Brook to succeed him as England’s next Test captain, which he feels is the ‘biggest job in cricket in England’, the ECB instead chose Root, who led England in 64 Tests from 2017 to 2022 before quitting.
England’s next Test assignment is a home Test series against Pakistan, starting August 13. While Root will take over as the Test skipper, Fleming will settle into his new role later in the year, with former England opener Marcus Trescothick working as an interim coach in the meantime.
