Ben Stokes Open to Return to England's White-Ball Cricket, Focused on Fitness for Pakistan Test Tour

New Delhi, September 25 – England Test captain Ben Stokes has indicated that he would be willing to return to England’s white-ball teams if head coach Brendon McCullum asked him to, though he clarified that no such discussions have taken place yet. Stokes' immediate focus remains on regaining full fitness in time to lead England's Test squad on their upcoming tour of Pakistan.

The 33-year-old all-rounder, known for his match-winning performances in both the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's and the 2022 World Cup final in Melbourne, has not played white-ball international cricket since England's disappointing performance in last year's one-day series in India. As the next major ICC event, the Champions Trophy, approaches in February, England selector Luke Wright recently acknowledged that both Stokes and Joe Root are being considered for a return to the white-ball format.

Stokes retired from one-day internationals in 2022 due to the demanding international schedule, citing fatigue. He also withdrew from the most recent T20 World Cup in June to focus on recovering from a long-standing knee injury that required surgery.

However, with Stokes and McCullum having built a strong captain-coach partnership within the Test team, Stokes suggested he would be open to returning to white-ball cricket, provided it aligns with the best interests of the team. He acknowledged that England's white-ball side has been transitioning towards a younger generation of players, including new additions like Jacob Bethell, whom Stokes believes has the potential to become a "superstar."

Speaking to Sky Sports during the third ODI against Australia at Chester-le-Street, Stokes said, "It’s a great opportunity for the white-ball team to experience what McCullum has brought to the Test team."

He praised McCullum’s coaching approach, stating, "He’s an incredible coach who speaks with full commitment. It's great that now all three teams are playing with the same message and the same philosophy towards the game."

When asked about a potential return to white-ball cricket, Stokes said, "If I get the call and McCullum asks, 'Do you want to come and play?' then obviously, it would be a definite yes. But if I don't play, I won't be too disappointed, because I can just sit back and watch the others go out and make an impact. I’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket for England, and I’m very satisfied with what I’ve achieved in that format. But honestly, we haven’t discussed it yet. I think McCullum is just letting me focus on what I need to, especially around the Test team."

Stokes' next challenge with the Test team is fast approaching, as they head to Pakistan for a three-match series, a venue where England secured a historic 3-0 series win in December 2022 — one of the most notable achievements of the Stokes-McCullum era.

After weeks of uncertainty, Multan has been confirmed as the venue for the first Test, set to begin on October 7. While Stokes hopes to be fit enough to lead the team after missing the Sri Lanka series due to a torn hamstring in August, he remains cautious about returning to full bowling duties after a long period of recovery.

"I’ve got my six-and-a-half-week scan coming up, so we’ll know more from that, but I’m feeling really good," Stokes said. "It was a hamstring tear that went into my tendon, so it took an extra week or two, but my rehab has been going really well. Hopefully, everything will be fine tomorrow, and we can push it a little bit further."