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Ben Stokes left an indelible imprint on England‘s triumphant campaign in the 2019 ODI World Cup, particularly through his superlative performance in the final. In that pivotal game against New Zealand, he played a critical role by amassing an undefeated 84 runs, garnering him the prestigious Player of the Match accolade. This exceptional display unequivocally solidified Stokes status as a cricketing luminary.
However, in 2022, Stokes made the difficult decision to retire from the 50-over format due to concerns about an unsustainable cricketing schedule and lingering issues with a chronic left knee injury. This retirement marked a significant moment in his career, as it meant missing out on the opportunity to participate in the 50-over World Cup.
Nevertheless, Stokes sent shockwaves through the cricketing world by announcing his comeback to ODI cricket ahead of the 2023 World Cup in India. National selector Luke Wright confirmed the Stokes’ return, including him in the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand and the provisional 15-member squad for the World Cup. The news of the Christchurch-born cricketer’s re-arrival has generated excitement and anticipation among English fans, who eagerly await his presence in the ODI setup.
Tim Paine labels Ben Stokes’ ODI comeback as ‘Selfishness’
Nonetheless, former Australian captain Tim Paine voiced strong criticism of Stokes’ return. Paine expressed his belief that Stokes’ re-return to the 50-over format deprived another cricketer, who had been with the squad for the past 12 months, of the opportunity to play in the World Cup.
“Ben Stokes coming out of one day retirement, I found that interesting. It was a bit of, ‘Me, me, me’, there isn’t it? It was like ‘I’ll pick and I’ll choose where I want to play and when I want to play’, and, ‘I’ll play in the big tournaments’. The guys who played for 12 months, ‘Sorry, thanks. But can you go and sit on the bench because I want to play now?,” Paine said on SEN Tasmania Radio.
Michael Vaughan comes forward in defense of Ben Stokes
In response to Paine’s remarks, former England captain Michael Vaughan came to Stokes’ defense. The 48-year-old strongly disagreed with Paine’s perspective, pointing out Stokes’ selfless nature and his unwavering commitment to the team’s success. Vaughan considered Paine’s suggestion that Stokes should have remained retired for the sake of another player as absurd.
“Ben stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim ..,” Vaughan wrote on Twitter.
Ben stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim .. https://t.co/jUXwzl1z2e
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 19, 2023
Also READ: Harry Brook reacts after omission from England’s provisional ODI World Cup 2023 squad
