England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes has changed his mind about retiring from one-day internationals (ODIs). The country’s cricket board announced on Wednesday that Stokes will be in the team for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Stokes quit ODIs last July, two months after being named England’s Test captain. This change means that he can now play in the 50-overs World Cup in October and November, when England will try to defend their title.
National selection Luke Wright said in a statement, “I am sure that every fan will enjoy seeing (Stokes) back in an England ODI shirt again.”
Stokes, who is 32 years old, was named Player of the Match in the 2019 World Cup final, which was held in England. He hit 84 runs without being out, which helped England beat New Zealand in an exciting extra over.
He also hit a perfect 52 that won the game for England and helped them win the Twenty20 World Cup last year. In the final, England beat Pakistan in Melbourne.
There are still worries about Stokes’ long-term injury to his left knee, which got worse this year. He didn’t bowl in the last three Ashes Tests in July, when England beat Australia to tie the series at 2-2 after being down 2-0.
White-ball coach Matthew Mott had said earlier that Stokes would be welcomed back into the ODI team with open arms.
Since his first ODI against Ireland in 2011, Stokes has played 105 of them and scored 2,924 runs, including three centuries, for an average of 38.98 and a strike rate of 95. He has also taken 74 wickets and is one of the team’s best fielders.
Gus Atkinson, an uncapped fast bowler from Surrey, was also added to the 15-man ODI squad for the New Zealand series. Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and John Turner were added for the first time to the T20I team.
England and New Zealand will play four Twenty20s starting on August 30, then four One-Day Internationals from September 8 to 15.
In their first game of the World Cup, on Oct. 5 in Ahmedabad, India, they will play New Zealand.