New Delhi: England cricket team's star all-rounder Ben Stokes, one of the major contributors to his team's World Cup-winning run in 2019, retired from One-Day cricket following Royal London International against South Africa. Stokes took this decision as he wanted to focus on his role as England's Test captain. The all-rounder played his career's last ODI match on his home ground at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, England's newly-appointed Test coach, has given an interesting reaction to Stokes' retirement decision.
"Yeah of course I am," said McCullum to SENZ breakfast on being if he was happy with the decision. "He's probably in a luxurious position that he's able to do that, but also with the demands of the schedules and with his heightened schedule as Test captain, it would've become too much. He also has a young family and there's a lot going on," said McCullum.
"I don't know if it's symbolic of where the game itself is at around the globe, but I see it as an absolute positive to be honest. I'm looking forward to being able to spend even more time with 'Stokesy' trying to get this thing cracking," he added.
McCullum feels Stokes will allow him to really immerse himself in the Test side.
"Obviously we would've loved to see Ben Stokes playing in three forms of the game, he's an out and out superstar and we've seen what he's been able to achieve, but sometimes things have to give way and I look at it as a positive that he's going to have the time to really immerse himself in the Test side," said the England red-ball coach.