Ben Stokes' ODI career finishes the way it started

25th August, 2011, Ben Stokes, as part of England’s post-2011 ICC Cricket World Cup shake-up, finds himself thrown into the deep end against Ireland. There have been murmurs about how special a talent he is. Those, though, don’t have much tangible backing on the international stage, yet.

On debut, he strides out to bat with England struggling a little. Stokes, at first, seems unfazed. He steps down the track with confidence. He doesn’t get as many runs as he would like but the bravery and courage is on complete display. It’s almost as if he is pledging that he will never die wondering for the cause, even if it comes at the cost of dwindling personal returns.

That particular endeavour only lasts 10 balls on that afternoon in Dublin. But even during such a short vigil, there are some veils of excitement. Stokes didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. But even when he did things that seemed normal, there was something about him – something England, even if they wanted, couldn’t turn their back on.

Cut to July 2022. England are now a well-renowned white-ball force. They are the reigning ODI World Cup winners, and are pretty good in the shortest format too. The turnaround that they were threatening in 2011 took almost four years to materialize, although when it did, it took the rest of the cricketing world aback.

Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from ODI cricket

Stokes, who was touted for greatness back then, has sprinkled his magic at different times through his ODI career. The all-rounder, however, has decided to walk away from this format, citing an absolutely crazy international calendar (not many blame him either).

His final game is against South Africa – a team that England are expected to get the better of. In what could be a tricky run-chase, there is a lot of responsibility on England’s Test captain. He is batting at No.4, meaning that he has a fair chance of setting the game up for England too.

He pushes and prods his way to five off 10 balls. It isn’t the sort of innings that’s usually synonymous with Stokes. The way he is stroking the ball, though, indicates that something greater could be on the horizon. He is also playing at his home ground, and has the perfect opportunity to waltz into the sunset.

But then, just as the anticipation builds, the all-rounder deploys the reverse sweep against Aiden Markram. He plays all over it and is trapped LBW. There’s a hushed silence at Riverside and Stokes, quite literally, trudges off the field.

There is, however, a massive applause from those at the ground after realising just what has happened – an applause that isn’t indicative of what Stokes has done on this sultry evening in the North-East of England. Rather, of what he has stood for all these years.

It might be very easy to just look at how the all-rounder began his career and how it culminated. The numbers, which paint a batting average of 38.98 and a bowling average of 42.39 don’t tell the entire story either. Because Stokes is one of those cricketers who often defied numbers and statistics. He never played for them. What he did do, though, was wear his England shirt and heart on his sleeve – a trait that endeared him not just to his opponents but more importantly, to those he shared the dressing room with.

When talking about Stokes, it is convenient to forget what impact he brought forth without actually considering the numbers he produced. For someone cast as one of the greatest all-rounders to play the sport, the stats do feel just a tad uninspiring. Try combining that with his passion, his selflessness and the tendency to always think about the collective, and it becomes as unique a career as any.

On Tuesday, when the all-rounder knew his time was up in ODI cricket, he still dived around the fence. He couldn’t even complete his follow-through properly. Yet, he bustled in and provided England with options on an exceptionally hot day. He could’ve asked Jos Buttler to look at him as a pure batter and not risk his body, especially with a Test series on the horizon. But then, that wouldn’t be Stokes.

After getting dismissed to Markram, Stokes could’ve used up a review because, well, it was the last time he was batting. He didn’t have a case but even when Joe Root insisted, the left-handed batter refused. He understood he had been deceived, and most tellingly, he acknowledged that the stage was better left for someone else to establish themselves.

It's not as if the former Rajasthan Royals cricketer hasn’t hit roadblocks on his path to stardom. For the longest while, it felt that he was only living off his potential. He also had that controversy at Bristol, and an incredible low run of scores at the beginning of his career.

When he got things right, though, he ensured that those were grand. The masterclass against Australia at Perth in January 2014. The scintillating ton against the same opponents in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. And, of course, the knock that stretched the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final into a Super Over.

So, there’s a fair bit of magic he conjured. It might not reflect in those raw statistics. But ask any avid cricket-watcher how they would define a game-changer, and it’s likely they would just mention Stokes’ name and not bother with another definition. The only reason some might term his ODI numbers as average is because he’s being compared to himself. Not because he hasn’t done justice to his talent.

For a cricketer who traversed several redemption arcs, it’s sort of fitting that his ODI career finished just the way it had begun. His first ODI innings lasted 10 deliveries, his final essay lasted 11 balls. When he arrived on the stage, England were longing to undergo a transition. Things might not be as drastic this time out but with Eoin Morgan also having hung up his boots, you can’t help but feel some change is round the corner.

The bigger similarity, though, is that almost everyone feels that Stokes still had plenty to offer in this format – much like it was when he consistently produced low scores at the start of his ODI journey. With all the talent he has, even a half-fit Stokes would’ve been good enough to start for England.

But he’s never been that way. Giving a hundred percent has always been a non-negotiable and it’s only fitting that he has signed off on his own terms. The moment he realised he couldn’t be what everyone thought he could be, that was it.

Not many are blessed with that sort of clarity. Or, that sort of bravery and courage. Cricketers of his ilk, though, don’t come around often. Stokes has scaled peaks that others can only dizzily dream about. He has also endured his fair share of setbacks – both on the field, and off it. That, however, is part of his legend.

For most in England, Stokes was this God-like figure, almost a guardian angel who could do anything and everything. Yet, if this career, laden with twists and turns at every juncture, has told us anything, it’s that he is, away from all the cricketing miracles, a human – a human who has bowed down to our unforgiving cricketing schedule. But also, a human who fought for everyone he played with, battled adversity countless times and then, made you believe in magic every once in a while.