The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on July 30, 2021, that England men’s all-rounder Ben Stokes has decided to go on an indefinite break from all cricket with an immediate effect.
England and India will lock horns in the Test Series from August 4, 2021, in Nottingham. All-rounder Ben Stokes will be replaced in the squad by Somerset’s Craig Overton.
ECB in an official statement said that the Board completely supports Ben’s decision, and will continue to help him during this time period away from the game.
Ashley Giles, the Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket said that Ben will be given as long as he needs and that board looks forward to seeing him playing cricket for England in the future.
“Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and wellbeing.”
We’re all with you, Stokesy ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6HmEzmCxvw
— England Cricket (@englandcricket)
July 30, 2021
The Cricket Board stated that Ben Stokes has withdrawn from the Test squad test series of England against India to prioritize his mental well-being and to rest his left index finger, which has not completely healed ever since his return to the competitive cricket earlier in July.
ECB extends support:
Ashley Giles while talking about Ben’s latest decision said that he has shown tremendous courage to open up about his well-being and feelings.
The primary focus of the board has always been and will continue to be the mental health and welfare of all. The demands on athletes to prepare themselves and play an elite sport are relentless in a typical environment, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has acutely compounded this.
Giles added that a significant amount of time away from the family, with minimal freedom, has been extremely challenging. The effect of operating almost cautiously in these environments over the last 16 months has had a major impact on everyone’s wellbeing.
About All-rounder Ben Stokes:
• Ben Stokes is an English international cricketer who was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He won Man of the Match.
• Ben has captained the team in both One Day Internationals and Tests when the regular captain has been unavailable.
• He is a left-handed batsman and right-handed fast-medium swing bowler. Ben was also ranked the top-ranked Test all-rounder in the world in July 2020.
• Ben Stokes became the highest-paid overseas player in the history of the Indian Premier League in 2017 when he fetched a record contract of Rs. 14.5 million. He also won the most valuable player award during the season.