England captain Ben Stokes has made the astonishing announcement that he is retiring from Test cricket, effective immediately after the third and final Test match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Speaking on Test Match Special, Stokes revealed the news, leaving former England captain Michael Vaughan in stunned silence. Vaughan, who was commentating on the match, couldn't believe the news and was seen shaking his head in disbelief.
Stokes, who turned 33 in June, has been one of the most dominant forces in world cricket, leading England to a World Cup victory in 2019 and being named the ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2019. He has also been a key player in England's Test team, scoring over 7,000 runs and taking 176 wickets in 67 matches.
Stokes will continue to play for England in the white-ball formats, including One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). His decision to retire from Test cricket has raised questions about the future of the format and the impact it will have on English cricket.
England's Director of Cricket, Rob Key, has said that Stokes' retirement is a 'huge blow' to the team and that they will 'miss him dearly'. Stokes has been an integral part of the team and his leadership and skill have been instrumental in England's success in recent years.