A few days after bringing down the curtain on his international career, Ben Stokes: Posted a farewell message on social media, thanking his teammates, supporters and everyone who had been a part of his journey during what he called “mad 15 years”.Stokes announced his retirement during the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Moments after releasing an official statement, he claimed his last wicket for England.His international career ended in a 160-run defeat as New Zealand won the third Test and the series, with Stokes watching the closing stages from the balcony after being dismissed in his final innings.The end of his career came after a busy few weeks. Stokes led England to victory in the first Test at Lord’s, missed the second Test after a night out in London resulting in an official conduct warning, and returned for one final match in Nottingham.He also distinguished himself by opening the batting in his final Test innings before England lost the series decider.
Posting X after spending a few days with his family, Stokes shared a personal message for those who have supported him throughout his career.“It’s been a crazy 15 years. It’s had everything thrown at it, from the highest highs to the lowest lows (on and off the field),” Stokes wrote in a post on X. “My time is over, and no one can make that decision but me. But in the meantime, I want to say that I love every single England fan and every single cricket fan who has supported me over the years.”“I love everyone that I have been on the field representing England. I could go on, but I hope you get the gist of how much I love doing what I do for 15 years. I look forward to being a fan and supporting the team, and the amazing day of hospitality will not be lost.“Family, friends, teammates, fans…I love everyone.”