Ben Stokes Set To Play As Batter Only At World Cup After ODI U-turn
NDTV
England are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men's World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire
England are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men's World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire from one-day internationals. The all-rounder, troubled by a longstanding left knee injury that restricted his bowling during the recent drawn Ashes Test series at home to Australia, said playing in all three international formats was "unsustainable" when calling time on his ODI career 13 months ago.
The 32-year-old had planned to use a six-month gap until England next play Test cricket, away to India, in order to attend to his chronic problem.
But he is now set for a role as a specialist batsman as one of nine survivors named in a 15-man squad to face New Zealand in three home ODIs next month that is also set to double as England's party for a World Cup in India that runs from October 5-November 19.
"It wasn't really a case of changing his (Stokes's) mind," said England national selector Luke Wright after the squad was unveiled on Wednesday.
"Once his body was in a good place and he'd had a rest, he was really keen to play. He still has time to do his rest and rehab, which he's doing, and he says his knee does feel like it's improving.
