Did Ben Stokes Domestic Cricket Choice Send a Message to the ECB?
Ben Stokes yesterday marked his return to Durham after a decade. He played for the team in the One-Day Cup, as he started with the bat, scoring a ton. At the same time, the other English stars were busy playing in The Hundred, while Stokes decided to choose domestic over the same.
Ben Stokes has been giving some of the most unexpected choices over the last few weeks. He announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket in the third Test against New Zealand. Everyone thought that he would just participate in the T20 leagues, noting that The Hundred is around the corner.
But that didn't happen. One-Day Cup and The Hundred started on the same day, and Stokes was seen playing in the domestic circuit, rather than going for The Hundred. He made his return to his domestic team Durham after more than a decade, which shocked the fans.
This decision by Ben Stokes to return to domestic tournaments right after retiring from internationals is still on the headlines. With the ball, he remained economical in his comeback game for Durham, and with the bat, he went on to score a century, which helped them to win the opening game against Derbyshire.
Our Take
Ever since the Nightclub incident, Stokes had been caught as the centre of attention in the England Cricket Board. While the board decided that he would be dropped for the second Test, he returned for the third and decided to end his career after this game. But even after that, he has decided to engage himself actively in the domestic circuit, which has sparked some speculations around his retirement. It remains to be seen what further happens in this scenario, between the ECB and Stokes.