Ben Stokes reversing ODI retirement was his call, no point badgering him, says Jos Buttler

England limited-overs captain Jos Buttler insists Ben Stokes’ decision to reverse ODI retirement ahead of the ICC World Cup was entirely “his call”.

Stokes had quit the ODI format last summer citing inability to cope with the demands of playing all three formats of the international game besides playing franchise T20 cricket, and made his final appearance in the format against South Africa in Durham.

The all-rounder, however, was named in England’s squad for the ODI series against New Zealand on Wednesday, more than a year since his last appearance at Chester-le-Street, and has made himself available for World Cup selection.

Read | Tim Paine hits out at Ben Stokes for ODI retirement U-turn

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, Buttler said Stokes was “very much his own man”, and that there would have been little point in “badgering” him into making a comeback ahead of the showpiece event that takes place in India starting 5 October.

“To be honest, it was Ben’s call. You all know Ben pretty well by now — I don’t think anyone talking to him would persuade him.

“Ben is very much his own man, he makes his own decisions. I’ve played with him for a very long time, I’m good friends with him. Me badgering him and saying ‘come back, come back’ is not really the way things work with Ben. He very much makes up his own mind and decides,” Buttler, who succeeded Eoin Morgan as England white-ball captain, said.

Stokes, a proven match-winner with an appetite for delivering in big games, was England’s hero in their triumph over New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s.

The England Test skipper would also star in the thrilling victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final in Melbourne last November, and both Buttler and white-ball coach Matthew Mott would have been hopeful of Stokes extending his ODI run to a few more games to help extend England’s reign in the 50-over format.

Stokes’s decision comes shortly after senior off-spinner Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement to replace the injured Jack Leach in England’s Ashes squad earlier this summer. Moeen, who was part of England’s world triumphs in 2019 and 2022, was approached for a Test comeback by Stokes, who sent him a message that read, “Ashes?”.

Read | ‘If Stokesy messages me again, I’m going to delete it’, says Moeen Ali

While Moeen went back to Test retirement after England’s series-leveling victory in the Ashes 2023 finale at The Oval, it remains to be seen if Stokes does something similar or remains part of the ODI setup after the World Cup.

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