{"id":359222,"date":"2026-07-01T14:25:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T08:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=359222"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:25:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T08:55:29","slug":"ben-stokes-admits-england-captaincy-does-drain-you-after-retirement-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/ben-stokes-admits-england-captaincy-does-drain-you-after-retirement-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Stokes admits England captaincy \u2018does drain you\u2019 after retirement decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ben Stokes admitted that 4 years as England\u2019s Test captain had left him \u201cburnt out\u201d and unable to attach along with his love of the sport.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stokes\u2019 retirement from England duty was announced on a day of high drama at Trent Bridge, with the news breaking because the 35-year-old was within the midst of a marathon bowling spell in his side\u2019s series decider against Recent Zealand.<\/p>\n

That kicked off a remarkable sequence of events that saw him take a wicket along with his first delivery after fans awarded him rousing standing ovation, then promote himself to open the batting in a frenetic 30-run cameo that saw him deposit two trademark sixes into the gang.<\/p>\n

Chatting with Sky Sports at the tip of a day that may live long within the memory \u2013 and ended with Recent Zealand perfectly placed to send him off with a defeat \u2013 Stokes revealed why he had chosen to call time after almost 13 years, 279 caps and two white-ball World Cup wins.<\/p>\n

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Toil<\/h2>\n

This yr alone Stokes has overseen the conclusion of a 4-1 Ashes thrashing in Australia, received potentially fatal blow to the face that required reconstructive surgery having shattering his cheekbone and received a written conduct warning following a disciplinary incident at a London nightclub.<\/p>\n

And he suggested the toll had simply turn into an excessive amount of.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are all styles of emotions when this present day involves everyone. There\u2019s relief, there\u2019s happiness, there\u2019s excitement, there\u2019s sadness. All of those words, they sum it up pretty much,\u201d he told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the perfect thing that I\u2019ve ever been asked to do \u2013 captain this team and captain this country \u2013 and I\u2019ll never begrudge any moment where I\u2019ve walked this team out. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s simply the best honour you may ever placed on your shoulders as a player.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there\u2019s one other side to all of it which individuals don\u2019t see and folks don\u2019t understand. My family, and particularly my wife, can see what you undergo emotionally. <\/p>\n

\u201cPretty much as good because it is, there are bits where it does get to you, it does drain you, it does affect you in a negative way.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, overall, it\u2019s literally been 4 and a half years where I\u2019ve loved each moment. But sometimes and a few moments have been harder than others.\u201d<\/p>\n

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FAREWELL: Ben Stokes during day three of the Third Test against Recent Zealand at Trent Bridge
PICTURE: Mike Egerton\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Negative feelings<\/h2>\n

Reflecting on the primary Test win of the summer, when victory celebrations changed into the night out that saw him stood down from the following game and subjected to an ECB investigation, Stokes added: \u201cThe Lord\u2019s Test brought back some type of negative feelings about where I used to be in my profession.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked so hard since getting back home (from Australia) to attempt to make things right. That\u2019s what I assumed I used to be doing. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut I put a lot effort and time into it I possibly, potentially burnt myself out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave myself every opportunity to think it was possibly only a blip, or something wasn\u2019t quite right. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut everyone I spoke to concerning the day it (retirement) happens, they simply say it kicks you straight within the face. And I assumed a number of weeks ago that it did.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I used to be putting my pads on (on Saturday) on the brink of go on the market, that was the last nail within the coffin. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s never, ever easy or easy with me, is it? That\u2019s been one among the great things about my profession, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

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FAMILY: Ben Stokes along with his wife Claire and son Leyton after Sunday\u2019s motion at Trent Bridge
PICTURE: Joe Giddens\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Rekindled spark<\/h2>\n

Stokes has pledged to follow the lead of former skipper Sir Alastair Cook by returning to county cricket. <\/p>\n

While his team were losing the second Test in his absence on the Kia Oval, Stokes returned north to play for Durham and located his spark was rekindled at Chester-le-Street, where he struck a free-flowing 95.<\/p>\n

He was unable to search out that very same enjoyment when he returned to the Test arena just days later.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing back at Durham, I discovered not a reconnection but a brand new lease of life in my affection towards cricket.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter which I just couldn\u2019t get that very same feeling back here this week, as much as I used to be trying. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been through some rocky times, personally, feeling like I\u2019m pushing myself through or feeling I\u2019m having to do something since it\u2019s the appropriate thing to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very excited concerning the next a part of what I get to do, going back to play for my boyhood club. It would sound quite selfish, but this decision is genuinely the perfect thing for me straight away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it means it\u2019s the perfect thing for the team going forward, I hope so. <\/p>\n

\u201cNevertheless it comes right down to what I believe will allow me to still love this game that I\u2019ve played since I used to be a child, and which has given me a profession.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/em><\/strong> England captain Ben Stokes stuns cricket with shock retirement as Recent Zealand close on series win<\/p>\n

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Ben Stokes admitted that 4 years as England\u2019s Test captain had left him \u201cburnt out\u201d and unable to attach along with his love of the sport. Stokes\u2019 retirement from England duty was announced on a day of high drama at Trent Bridge, with the news breaking because the 35-year-old was within the midst of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":359223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20675],"tags":[1504,5911,15964,4797,4816,5386,2411,5385],"class_list":["post-359222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cricket","tag-admits","tag-ben","tag-captaincy","tag-decision","tag-drain","tag-england","tag-retirement","tag-stokes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t