Ben Stokes retires from England cricket after shock Test announcement

England all‑rounder Ben Stokes announced his unexpected retirement from international cricket during the fourth day of the final Test against New Zealand in the Rothesay Series at Trent Bridge. He informed teammates in the dressing‑room before the England and Wales Cricket Board made the news public while he was on the field, and he took a wicket with his first ball after the announcement.

Former teammate Stuart Broad called Stokes "a talisman of English cricket," while ECB chair Richard Thompson praised his role in England’s 2019 World Cup win, 2022 T20 World Cup triumph and iconic Ashes innings. Stokes had recently been cleared of any wrongdoing after a nightclub incident earlier in the month.