{"id":187586,"date":"2026-06-29T15:04:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187586"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:04:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:34:29","slug":"strauss-left-dumbfounded-by-timing-of-stokess-england-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187586","title":{"rendered":"Strauss left \u2018dumbfounded\u2019 by timing of Stokes\u2019s England exit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-body-71161514\">Andrew Strauss said he was \u201cdumbfounded\u201d by the timing of Ben Stokes\u2019s exit from international cricket as he paid tribute to a \u201cgenuine great\u201d of the English game.<\/p>\n<p>Stokes\u2019s decision to call time on his celebrated England career at the end of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge was made public on the fourth day of the series decider.<\/p>\n<p>The England captain, in the middle of a lengthy bowling stint, promptly took a wicket with his first ball afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>Stokes, normally a middle-order batsman, then opened the innings but holed out as England lost several wickets in a manic pursuit of a stiff target of 373, with the hosts 103-4 at stumps and on the brink of a first series defeat at home in three or more Tests since 2012.<\/p>\n<p>Strauss was England captain on that occasion, with the 49-year-old former opener ending his own career, in which he led his Test side to number one in the world rankings, on a low note as they were beaten by South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>While he paid tribute to everything Stokes has achieved during his glittering career, Strauss feels the 35-year-old all rounder should not have revealed his plans during the third Test against the Black Caps with the series up for grabs at 1-1.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike many people I was dumbfounded yesterday (Sunday) when the whispers started coming out that Ben Stokes was about to announce his retirement,\u201dStrauss wrote on his        <i>LinkedIn<\/i> page.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"sub_head\">Shocking and inevitable<\/h4>\n<p>\u201cIt was both shocking and perhaps inevitable at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a guy that has given everything to the England shirt but also has worn his emotions on his sleeve throughout that journey. The truth is that the job just burns you out, especially if you take on as much responsibility as Ben did in the role.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe will rightly go down as one of England\u2019s genuine greats. This is a guy who revelled in the big moments. A genuine superstar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>ALSO READ: <a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/ben-stokes-retires-career-timeline-major-highlights-controversies-lows-mental-health-success-stats\/article71158637.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ben Stokes: Timeline of promising yet tumultous international career<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Strauss, however, added: \u201cI hesitate to say this but I\u2019m not convinced that the whole thing was orchestrated the right way yesterday- it seems like a huge distraction to a team that was battling to avoid a series defeat and the cricket in the last session very much had an \u2018end of term\u2019 feel to it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone has the right to bow out on their own terms, and no-one has earned that more than Ben, but announcing before or after the game seems like a more sensible approach.<\/p>\n<p>When you are in the middle of a match, the only thing that matters is the performance of the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a small gripe in the greater scheme of things. English cricket will be far worse (and less interesting!) without Ben involved. Opposition teams will be breathing a sigh of relief and there will be a huge vacuum in the England team that will be impossible to fill.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"publish-time\" id=\"end-of-article\">Published on Jun 29, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sportstar.thehindu.com\/cricket\/andrew-strauss-ben-stokes-england-new-zealand-series-test-retirment-news\/article71161514.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Andrew Strauss said he was \u201cdumbfounded\u201d by the timing of Ben Stokes\u2019s exit from international cricket as he paid tribute to a \u201cgenuine great\u201d of the English game. Stokes\u2019s decision&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":187587,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-05T102845Z_902394918_UP1EM650T3W5K_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":187460,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187460","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":0},"title":"Bazball goes bust as New Zealand seals series in Stokes swansong","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"New Zealand overwhelmed England by 160 runs in the third Test at Trent Bridge on Monday as Ben Stokes\u2019s last match in international cricket ended with a thumping defeat. Victory meant New Zealand won a three-match campaign 2-1- just its fourth series success in England in 20 attempts and only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8NB9TB.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8NB9TB.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8NB9TB.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8NB9TB.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8NB9TB.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":187174,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187174","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":1},"title":"Michael Atherton questions timing of shock Stokes exit","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Ben Stokes\u2019s shock decision to announce his international retirement in the middle of a Test match left former England skipper Michael Atherton asking, \u201cwhy and why now?\u201d. England captain Stokes announced he would be bringing down the curtain on his stellar international career at the end of the ongoing third\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2079.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2079.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2079.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2079.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2079.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":182795,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=182795","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":2},"title":"England captain Stokes in action for Durham as Test recall looms","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Dropped England captain Ben Stokes was denied a wicket with just his fourth ball as he returned to action for Durham in their County Championship match against Northamptonshire on Friday. Stokes and England team-mate Gus Atkinson were dropped from the ongoing second Test against New Zealand at the Oval after\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2282382897.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2282382897.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2282382897.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2282382897.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2282382897.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":187252,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187252","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":3},"title":"Ben Stokes \u2018content\u2019 after extraordinary England exit","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"England captain Ben Stokes insisted he felt \u201ccontent\u201d after announcing his shock retirement from international cricket on Sunday in the middle of a Test match. The 35-year-old all-rounder confirmed his exit shortly before Tea on the fourth day of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand in Nottingham, having informed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-28T175150Z_1094004680_UP1EM6S1DMCAU_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-28T175150Z_1094004680_UP1EM6S1DMCAU_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-28T175150Z_1094004680_UP1EM6S1DMCAU_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-28T175150Z_1094004680_UP1EM6S1DMCAU_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026-06-28T175150Z_1094004680_UP1EM6S1DMCAU_RTRMADP_3_CRICKET-ENG-NZL.JPG?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":178357,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=178357","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":4},"title":"Stokes captaincy on the line following nightclub incident &#8211; ESPNcricinfo","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Stokes captaincy on the line following nightclub incident\u00a0\u00a0ESPNcricinfoECB Statement: Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson\u00a0\u00a0England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)Stokes & Atkinson investigated over nightclub incident\u00a0\u00a0BBCBen Stokes\u2019 future as Test captain in doubt after nightclub incident\u00a0\u00a0The GuardianBen Stokes\u2019s future in doubt after altercation with Saracens player\u00a0\u00a0The Times Source link","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/J6_coFbogxhRI9iM864NL_liGXvsQp2AupsKei7z0cNNfDvGUmWUy20nuUhkREQyrpY4bEeIBucs0-w300-rw.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":187138,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=187138","url_meta":{"origin":187586,"position":5},"title":"Stokes opens batting in farewell Test, gets dismissed for 30","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"England captain Ben Stokes fell for 30 in his last international innings after announcing his surprising retirement from international cricket on Sunday in the middle of the third Test. The 35-year-old all-rounder confirmed his impending exit shortly before tea on the fourth day of the ongoing third Test against New\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8L879M.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8L879M.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8L879M.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8L879M.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AFP_B8L879M.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgnRh4-MNA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=187586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/187587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=187586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=187586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=187586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}