Former Australia captain Tim Paine hits out at Ben Stokes for retirement U-turn ahead of ODI World Cup

Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine hit out at England Test captain Ben Stokes for his decision to come out of ODI retirement and participate in the World Cup. Paine questioned Stokes’s ability to “pick” and “choose” the events he wants to play in. Stokes, 32, had announced his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs) in July last year citing the challenge of juggling three formats of the game. However, he recently made a U-turn, being included in the 15-member England squad to face New Zealand in a limited-overs series. This series is seen as preparation for the upcoming World Cup in India. While England’s cricket enthusiasts are thrilled by Stokes’s return to the ODI side before the World Cup, Tim Paine has raised concerns about the nature of his decision. Paine commented on the situation during an interview with Sen Radio, characterising Stokes’s move as self-centred and driven by personal considerations. Paine remarked, “Ben Stokes coming out of one-day retirement, I found that interesting. It was a bit of, ‘Me, me, me’, isn’t it? It was, ‘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’.” Paine also voiced his concerns about the impact of Stokes’s decision on other players who have been dedicating themselves to the game. He noted that Stokes’s re-entry might mean those who have been working hard for the past year may have to make way for him, indicating a level of unfairness in the process. He stated, “The guys who played for 12 months, ‘Sorry, thanks. But can you go and sit on the bench because I want to play now?’.” Stokes’s inclusion in the squad comes at the expense of other talented players like Harry Brook. The England cricket board’s decision to prioritize Stokes over Brook was questioned by Paine. He contrasted the abilities of the two players, acknowledging that the choice between them was a close one, especially considering Stokes’s current role as a specialist batter due to his knee injury. Paine conceded that England, alongside host nation India, is a top contender in the upcoming ODI World Cup. He added, “Probably [England are now favourites], them and India. I think the Aussies if they can get hot (they can also win).” The cricketing community continues to discuss the implications of Ben Stokes’s decision as the World Cup draws near.