England Test captain Ben Stokes has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand. The England team confirmed the news on Sunday during the fourth day of the ongoing Test at Trent Bridge.

The announcement came as a surprise, with Stokes reportedly in the middle of a bowling spell when a statement about his retirement was released. According to a BBC report, he made an immediate impact after the news broke, taking the wicket of Zak Foulkes with his very next delivery. Foulkes was caught at second slip.

Stokes' retirement will bring an end to a remarkable 15-year international career. The all-rounder played a major role in some of England's biggest cricket moments, including their dramatic victory over New Zealand in the 2019 ODI World Cup final, where he played a match-winning innings.

During his career, Stokes represented England in 122 Test matches, including 44 games as captain. He also featured in 114 ODIs and 43 T20 Internationals.

One of the highlights of his career came in the 2022 T20 World Cup final, where he played a crucial role in helping England lift the trophy. The same year, he took over as England's Test captain and helped transform the team's approach in the longest format.

Stokes was not part of England's playing XI for the second Test of the ongoing series after being dropped for disciplinary reasons following a night out after the first match.

His final international appearance will come in the third Test against New Zealand, marking the end of a career filled with memorable performances, leadership moments, and match-winning contributions.


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