Retaining the Cup appealed me the most: Ben Stokes explains his ODI return

Ben Stokes, who returned to the ODI fold with the first match of the four-match series against New Zealand, just ahead of the World Cup, revealed his reasons for the comeback

England's World Cup hero from 2019, Ben Stokes, returned to the ODI fold for the first time since announcing his retirement from the format back in July 2022. Stokes, the skipper of the Test team, made an ODI return only to play the World Cup and retain the title which he helped England win in 2019 after a phenomenal super over boundary counts victory over New Zealand in the final at Lord's.

Stokes, who scored a fifty (52) on his ODI return in a match against New Zealand at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Wales, said that his biggest motive to come out of ODI retirement was the opportunity to not just play another World Cup, but to retain the trophy as well.

“Having a chance to play in another World Cup is great, but going there as world champions and trying to retain it is something that was quite appealing to me,” BBC quoted Stokes as saying.

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Stokes won't bowl in the World Cup

Suffering from chronic tendonitis in his knees for quite some time now, Stokes didn't bowl in the last three Ashes 2023 games and has refrained from bowling on most occasions ever since 2021. He confirmed that he won't be bowling in the ODI World Cup 2023 either.

“I had to tell Jos [Buttler] that if you want to make that decision and pick me, you have to make that decision on the basis of me not bowling a ball out there,” said the 32-year-old.

"I was very clear with where I'm at with my body and what I felt I can offer the team. It was nice to know from Jos that he didn't think too long; that, even if I am just there as a batter, he'd pick me,” added Stokes, who has played 106 ODIs, scoring 2,976 runs at an average of 39.25.

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