‘Bhai har koi Afridi nahi hota’ – Fans react as Ben Stokes stands firm on retirement decision from ODIs

Ahead of the much-awaited ODI World Cup 2023, England Test skipper, Ben Stokes has made it clear not to come back to ODI cricket and play matches for his national side. He opined that he wants to utilize the time between the end of the Ashes and January’s Test tour of India to get fully recovered from his knee injury.

The Three Lions will try their best to defend their title in the upcoming World Cup which is scheduled to take place later this year in the month of Octobr-November. This time the s=tame would be with the likes of their star all-rounder, Stokes as he has announced retirement from the ODI cricket. He was awarded the Player of the Match in the 2019 ODI World Cup Final for his match-winning performance with the bat.

I could do where I can bowl without worrying about my knee: Ben Stokes

England does not have a test match after the completion of Ashes 2023. They will directly lock horns with Team India in the final week of January which will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, in Hyderabad. Ahead of the fifth Test, the hosts’ skipper said that he will work on his fitness to get fully recovered from his knee injury so that he can start bowling again.

“I am retired. [My knee] is something I want to get sorted. [Between the Ashes and India] is a good time to have some serious in-depth conversations about what is potentially something I could do where I can bowl without worrying about my knee,” Stokes was quoted as saying in the pre-match press conference ahead of fifth and final Test of Ashes 2023.

“Those are conversations we will be able to have during that good time off. [Being an all-rounder] is something I have done since I was a kid. Wanting to be involved in the game is something that has got the best out of me. It has been frustrating not being able to have the same impact and play the same role I have done for the last 10 years. Hopefully, I can get my knee sorted,” the 32-year-old asserted.

Here’s how fans reacted:

A big loss for ODI cricket which is losing people’s interest.

— Ajay AJ (@AjayTweets07) July 26, 2023

https://twitter.com/kohlifangirl178/status/1684259998162104320?s=20

https://twitter.com/_SaifAli10/status/1684290653977731073?s=20

https://twitter.com/vkpyaar/status/1684261184990756864?s=20

T20IS se Krna chahiye tha ODIs k jagah par

— शिवम् गुप्ता (@imshivamraina3) July 26, 2023

Should have played this wc atleast

— Harsh Das (@Harrshhh_) July 26, 2023

https://twitter.com/saurav_viratian/status/1684259533802319872?s=20

He has run out of deflected runs

— BirdWatcher (@watchembirdies) July 26, 2023

https://twitter.com/beinggood100/status/1684260292614852608?s=20

England players prefer Test cricket more than Odi or T20

— who’s this guy (@realjabronii) July 26, 2023