“I don’t think I have any fight left in me.” Ben Stokes reveals sad reason behind England retirement |: Cricket News:
Ben Stokes: has finally explained the deeply personal reasons behind one of the most shocking retirement announcements in modern cricket, revealing that the emotional scars from England’s disastrous Ashes campaign in Australia left him feeling “no longer fighting” to continue representing his country.The England captain stunned the cricketing world on Sunday by announcing he would retire from all international cricket at the end of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, bringing the curtain down on an extraordinary 15-year career. Speaking bluntly after the game, the 35-year-old dismissed speculation surrounding recent off-field controversies and instead focused on the emotional, physical and mental fatigue that had built up since England’s crushing 4-1 Ashes loss to Australia.
‘I don’t think I have any fight left in me’
In an emotional explanation, Stokes revealed that the turning point came when he confessed his feelings to his wife.“The emotional part of it since Australia … the way I said it to my wife was, ‘I don’t think I’ve got any fight left in me to get through this, really’,” Stokes told Sky Sports.The England skipper admitted the realization hit him harder than he expected.“It literally did. You go through the whole process, talk to people close to you, and you start giving more. The more I tell my wife and others about it, you end up repeating things more and more,” he added.Stokes said he has always prided himself on overcoming setbacks throughout his career, whether on or off the field, but this time proved to be different.“The other thing I’ve had over the last five or six weeks is … it’s something I feel like I have to try and overcome. I feel like I’ve been pretty good at that throughout my career—overcoming disappointment on the field, disappointment off the field—but this is different.”
‘What we do is brutal’
Beyond the emotional burden, Stokes admits that staying at the highest level has become a more punishing challenge.“What we do is brutal, physically, mentally. Even the stuff away from it—what you have to put in and the hard work—is a little tiring these days,” he admitted.At 35, just getting his body ready to compete has become a battle in itself.“I feel like I have to do a lot of physical work to keep myself doing what I’m doing out there. Do I have the fight to keep doing that because I know it’s necessary to walk out there and play for this country? ” he said.The answer, he admits, is no.“There were a lot of things that leaned into me knowing that it was the right decision—the emotional part, the physical part, the mental part.”
A hard but necessary goodbye
Stokes revealed that retirement had been on his mind for weeks and that he sought the advice of those closest to him before making the final call.“I gave myself every chance to think that maybe it was just a blip or something wasn’t right,” she said, adding that speaking out with her family finally convinced her it was time.Despite the heartbreak, Stokes insists he leaves with no regrets.“This decision is really the best thing for me right now. I hope it’s the best thing for the team going forward, but it will allow me to continue loving this sport that gives me so much.”The announcement ends the international career of one of England’s greatest all-rounders and captains, a player whose legacy includes the unforgettable victory in the 2019 World Cup, the miraculous Headingley Ashes innings and the fearless era of “Bazball” that changed England’s Test cricket.
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