England captain Ben Stokes will retire from international cricket after the ongoing Test match with New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Stokes told his England teammates in the dressing room on the morning of day four in Nottingham, and it was announced by the ECB while Stokes was on the field in the midst of an 11-over bowling spell as he attempted to haul England back into contention in the final Test of the series, which is tied 1-1.
It led to extraordinary scenes, as the crowd – on learning the breaking news – rose to give a standing ovation at the start of Stokes’ next over. Incredibly, Stokes responded by taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Zak Foulkes with the very next ball.
Ben Stokes gets a wicket just moments after the news broke that he is retiring from international cricket 😲🚨 pic.twitter.com/rCZknWSeuG
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2026
The news comes days after Stokes was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Cricket Regulator following an altercation at a nightclub earlier this month. The 35-year-old was suspended for one Test match by the ECB and told senior figures he was considering his long-term future, before returning to the team for the third Test.
Stokes was cagey in his pre-match press conference, giving no assurances and telling the media: “I understand there are probably some questions, but right now I’m here as captain of this team, and all I want to do is get the team focused on winning here.”
But he told his teammates the news on Sunday morning, appearing to catch them off-guard.
“There’s something I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is going to be [that] this is my last two days as your captain, and my last two days representing England,” Stokes told the group.
At the end of the day’s play, Stokes gave his first interview since the news of his retirement broke and explained his reasons behind the decision while being seranaded by the remaining England fans at Trent Bridge.
“It’s been an interesting, not only four or five weeks, but six months. There’s all types of emotions when this day comes. There’s relief, there’s happiness, there’s excitement, there’s sadness, there’s everything that you go through. All those words, I think, sums it up pretty well,” Stokes told Sky Sports.
“It’s been really tough. I’m sure a lot of not necessarily players but captains can understand it. Somebody I’ve spoken to quite a lot around this kind of stuff is Joe [Root], and he gets it. He understands it.
One of England's all-time greatest captains, Ben Stokes, has decided to retire from international cricket at the end of this Test match.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2026
Ben, you have been the most inspirational captain, leader and legend this team could have ever hoped for.
We love you so much and wish you… pic.twitter.com/U5grq0F0kj
“It’s the best thing that I’ve ever been asked to do, which is captain this team and captain this country, and I’ll never begrudge any moment where I’ve captained and walked the team out. It’s simply the greatest honour you could ever put on your shoulders as a player.
“But there’s another side to it all that people don’t see, people don’t understand and only people close to those people can see it. My family, in particular my wife, can see what you go through emotionally and as good as it is, there are bits where it does get you and it does drain you and it gets you in a negative way.
“Overall, it’s been four and a half years, I’ve loved every single minute of it.”
Stokes explained that he had been wrestling with the decision to retire since the opening Test of the summer at Lord’s following England’s disastrous Ashes tour of Australia last winter.
He added: “The whole Lord’s test was something that I guess brought back some kind of negative feelings about where I was in my career. I’d worked so hard from getting back home to try and make things right. That’s what I thought I was doing. I put so much time and effort into it that maybe I burned myself out.
“When I got to that week at Lord’s it was a very interesting and strange feeling to go into that game. I gave myself as much time and spoke to as many people as I could do in the process of this whole thing that everyone goes through, and I tried. I gave myself every opportunity to potentially think it was maybe a blip or something wasn’t quite right.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to about the day it happens said, ‘It kicks you straight in the face’. I thought a few weeks ago that it did, but then it was when I was putting my pads on yesterday, getting ready to go out there, that was the last nail in the coffin. It was the build-up, what things were like through that week [at Lord’s] for me, walking off the field and another moment when I was sat next to my mate Joe in the dressing room.”
“I’ve been through some rocky times with having to push myself through or doing something because it’s the right thing to do. It might sound quite selfish, but this decision is genuinely the best thing for me right now. Whether it means it’s the best thing for the team going forward, I hope so, but it comes down to what I think is going to allow me to still love this game that I’ve played since I was a kid and has given me a career.”
It brings to an end one of the great England careers. Stokes was a key figure in the one-day international team’s 2019 World Cup glory and has been an inspirational leader for the Test side with bat and ball, having taken over the captaincy from Joe Root in 2022.
Perhaps his greatest innings was scoring 135 not out against Australia in the 2019 Ashes at Headingley. England needed an improbable 359 to win, but Stokes produced a remarkable knock under pressure, combining with No 11 Jack Leach in an unbeaten 76-run stand – in which Leach contributed one run – to snatch a famous one-wicket victory.
Stokes’ penchant for heroic, near super-human feats on a cricket field elevated him to be among the world’s best players, one with a rare talent for batting, bowling and fielding, too – his one-handed catch against South Africa during the 2019 World Cup is often included among the best in the history of the game.
His star status made him a figure who transcended the game of cricket, becoming a household name in an era when Test cricket in particular has come under increasing threat in the battle for fans’ attention.
Stokes’ final chapter in international cricket was to be the figurehead of England’s “Bazball” revolution in tandem with head coach Brendon McCullum, as they picked up a dismal Test team and transformed it into a thrilling, attacking force, which could chase down monstrous targets and blow away elite bowling attacks.
The positivity around England’s bold approach began to fade as the novelty wore off and results became more inconsistent. The disappointing Ashes series over the winter – which Australia won 4-1 on home soil – provoked searching questions about the leadership, preparation and direction of the Test team.
ECB director Rob Key kept hold of his job despite significant pressure and insisted England should retain both McCullum and Stokes in their roles as coach and captain, with sights set on winning back the Ashes next summer. But Stokes has now taken matters into his own hands, bringing his England career to an end.
Richard Thompson, ECB chair, said: “Ben Stokes leaves the international game as one of England’s greatest ever cricketers and one of the defining figures of his generation. His performances under pressure, his relentless competitiveness and his ability to produce the extraordinary when it matters most have given me and millions of other fans memories that will endure forever.
“Whether inspiring victory in the biggest moments – not least driving England to World Cup wins in 2019 and 2022 and his heroic Ashes innings at Headingley – or leading the Test team with courage and conviction, Ben has been a talismanic figure in English cricket.
“Beyond his remarkable achievements on the field, his performances have inspired many youngsters to embrace cricket with positivity and belief. We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman. On behalf of the ECB, I want to thank Ben for everything he has given to our sport and wish him and his family every success and happiness for the future.”
Richard Gould, ECB chief executive officer, added: “Ben Stokes has made an immeasurable contribution to English cricket, not only through his exceptional skill as one of the world’s finest all-rounders, but through the commitment, resilience and passion he has demonstrated throughout his international career. His influence has extended far beyond statistics – inspiring teammates, supporters and young cricketers around the world through his leadership and unwavering desire to win.
“We are enormously grateful for his service to England and congratulate him on an extraordinary international career. His contribution to the game will be celebrated for many years to come.”
Read MoreBen Stokes admits he was ‘burnt out’ after quitting as England captain
Ben Stokes explains reasons behind England retirement decision
Brendon McCullum hails Ben Stokes after international retirement
Ben Stokes stuns cricket world with shock retirement and magical farewell wicket
Classic Ben Stokes – Joe Root not surprised friend ended England career in style
