"Ben Stokes cares about everyone in that dressing room" - Mark Wood on the all-rounder's contribution to England's success 

England's ongoing ODI series opener against South Africa is set to be Ben Stokes' last appearance in the format. Ahead of the clash, Mark Wood spoke about the star all-rounder's influence in the dressing room.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Mark Wood mentioned that Stokes is a natural leader who likes to take good care of his teammates. He pointed out that the 31-year-old inspires other players with his training and how he carries himself.

The fast bowler further added that England's ODI team would surely miss having someone like Stokes, considering that he is an influential figure in that side. Wood stated:

"Ben Stokes is an alpha guy, but he cares about everyone in that dressing room and wants to make sure that they are alright. He looks after those people and puts an arm around them. You may not see it on the field, but he definitely looks after the people in the dressing room.

"So, it will be a big miss from that point of view. He's a natural leader. The way he trained and went about things, there was something for everyone else to look up to. I think it'll be a big miss, not just from the stats point of view, but from who he is in the dressing room."

Ben Stokes announced his decision to retire from ODIs through a social media post following the recently concluded white-ball series against India. The talismanic all-rounder revealed that he has taken the step to manage his workload.

He will continue to lead England in Tests and will also be available for selection for their T20I assignments.

Ben Stokes' stats in ODI cricket

Stokes made his ODI debut for England in 2011 against Ireland in Dublin. He successfully managed to carve a niche for himself in the star-studded line-up, thanks to his inspiring all-round performances.

The left-handed batter has mustered 2919 runs in 104 ODIs at an impressive average of 39.4. Furthermore, he also has 74 wickets to his name in the format.

The 31-year-old was the top performer for England in their 2019 World Cup final victory over New Zealand. The southpaw remained unbeaten on 84 in the summit clash and also contributed with eight crucial runs in the Super Over.