Nottingham: Ben Stokes confirms international retirement, rules out Ashes return

By George Aldridge — 29 June 2026 — 3 min read

Ben Stokes, the England captain, has stated he will not reverse his international retirement for next year’s Ashes series, confirming he is “done” with his international career. His decision comes after England‘s defeat by New Zealand in the third Test, which also marked the end of his international playing days.

Stokes, who announced his retirement on Sunday, concluded his 15-year international career on Monday. When asked about a potential return for the Ashes next summer, he told BBC Test Match Special that he is “incredibly content with everything right now” and that the decision was not taken lightly, having required a significant amount of time.

Head coach Brendon McCullum reportedly attempted to convince Stokes to continue playing when informed of his plans. Stokes’ international career included 122 Tests, 114 one-day internationals, and 43 T20s.

Reflecting on the Decision and Series Loss

Following England‘s 160-run defeat to New Zealand, which resulted in a 2-1 series loss, Ben Stokes remained composed. He exchanged embraces with opposition players and briefly waved to the crowd after his post-match interviews. The all-rounder had previously stated on Sunday that retirement was the “best thing” for him.

On Monday, Stokes further elaborated that recent incidents, including being left out of the second Test against the Black Caps due to breaking a midnight curfew, had influenced his decision. He acknowledged that a “series of unfortunate events” had occurred and suggested that these might have contributed to his choice.

Stokes also indicated that the demands of his role over the past six to twelve months had taken their toll, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of being in his position. He had previously reversed a white-ball retirement to participate in the 2023 World Cup.

The series defeat to New Zealand marks England‘s first home series loss in a three-Test series or more since 2012.

McCullum’s Future and Stokes’ Legacy

Brendon McCullum‘s position as head coach is now under scrutiny following the series loss. However, the New Zealander has expressed his commitment to English cricket, stating his belief in the team’s direction and his desire to remain in his role. He emphasised that a lack of wins does not necessarily mean their approach is incorrect, and he is keen to continue improving and evolving the team.

Regarding Stokes’ retirement, McCullum noted that Stokes had made up his mind, and it became clear he was eager to step away. He described the situation as “sad” due to their close working relationship over four years and the experiences they shared. McCullum called Stokes an inspiration and a good friend, wishing him well for the future.

Ben Stokes, who has been England‘s Test captain since 2022, has been responsible for several memorable moments in English cricket. These include his unbeaten century against Australia at Headingley in 2019 and his contribution to England‘s victory in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s in the same year.

Stokes expressed that he would miss “everything to do with this” but also acknowledged that there are aspects he is glad to no longer have to manage. Jofra Archer, named England‘s player of the series despite missing the first Test, commented on Stokes’ departure, stating it would be a “big miss” and that imagining the changing room without him would be difficult.

New Zealand‘s Daryl Mitchell was named player of the match for his century. Rachin Ravindra praised New Zealand‘s series win, highlighting the team’s efforts and individual performances, including Tom Blundell‘s keeping and Mitchell’s batting. New Zealand has secured two major away series wins in recent years, including this one against England.

The final score of the third Test saw England lose by 160 runs.

Source: bbc.co.uk