In sport players get dropped and captain’s lose their captaincy. That has been the same for decades, although since the dawn of the centralised contracts for International players the landscape has shifted. Rarely were players dropped despite a loss of form, and as one high profile player who was desperately out of form commented amid calls for them to be replaced, “I will decide when I go.” Really? Is that how it works now?
Of course when to go is according to those who have played at the highest level often a hard call to make. Yet, others have revealed it was one of the easiest decisions to make, as the drive or passion had gone. Which is understandable when you have worked so hard and often for so long to get to the top and then stay there.
Yet when that time comes the player concerned usually makes the announcement prior to a game or series, announcing that if picked this will be their last hoorah. Many wait until after they have played their last game, choosing to say nothing to avoid being in the spotlight and simply advise their team mates once the game is over and quietly walk away.
Rarely does a player announce their retirement during a game, which is what England cricket captain Ben Stokes did during the final and deciding test match of the three test series against New Zealand.
There was a great deal surrounding this announcement that was curious.
For starters the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to film Stokes addressing his team mates and advising them that he was stepping down not only from the captaincy after this match, but away from Test Cricket. That in itself seemed a little strange, but even more bizarre was their decision to share his speech with the public.
Stokes will no doubt in years to come regret saying after letting his team know this was his last game, “the only thing I want is just for everyone to give it not only for me selfishly, but also for this team…”
Suddenly the words of the captain ceased to be about what was important to the team, and appeared to be more about the individual. IN fact the filming and release of that footage did exactly the same.
Maybe Stokes was forced to change what he would have liked to say to his team mates knowing this was being filmed, but surely as the captain he should have simply told everyone not directly involved in the game as a player or coach to leave, so that he could say what he wanted to say?
Former Black Cap New Zealander Kyle Mills likened Stokes saying to his team go out and play for me to when Australian skipper Michael Clarke announced hsi retirement on the eve of the 2015 Cricket World Cup; which Australia won. Suddenly the team was no longer the focus it became about the individual.
Kane Williamson who has been a wonderful cricketer too and a fantastic ambassador for New Zealand and cricket in general announced his retirement after the first Test of the series, but the contrast in how both went about it could not have been more different.
This writer has always believed that cameras should never be allowed in a dressing room in any sport and that landed him in hot water with one broadcaster he was working for passionately stating his case and why he held this opinion. Players need a place of sanctuary. Especially in today’s world where they are constantly under the microscope, and anyone can film them at any time. If they cannot be allowed to let their frustrations out in the dressing room where will they release those bottled up feelings?
There may be no validation of a claim made by one staffer in one of the football codes in Australia who blamed the increase in domestic violence issues among players in their sport to the fact that cameras have been allowed into the changing rooms. They were adamant that these cameras prevented players being able to be themselves post game, win or lose. No longer can they let their frustration out as there as a camera watching.They believed that those at home suffered more because of this.
The other issue that the ECB’s filming and then release of that footage raises is do they believe that Stokes’ brand is bigger than their own? Was this a calculated move to try and cash in on his popularity, some with expertise in this area have said that this would be a logical explanation for their actions.
As you would have expected the English media were stunned by the announcement and also the way it was done. They also could not believe that it happened during a game. Can you imagine a footballer or a rugby player deciding to announce their retirement at half time?
A week before this announcement the press were lambasting Stokes for staying out after a curfew that he it was claimed was involved in putting in place after England’s win in the first test, Suddenly all that was written was now positive hailing his feats as a player and a captain.
Although as is the norm these days not all of what was being said was factual. For example SKY Sports were hailing Stokes as England’s “greatest ever captain.” What was this based on?
If it was based on percentages of a captain’s results, Stokes record is an impressive 57.14, but it is not the best. In recent times Michael Vaughan’s record was 70.27 and Sir Andrew Strauss’s record was 68.57. The late Bob Willis’s record was 58.33, while Mike Brearley’s record was at 81.81% and Ray Illingworth 70.58%. Sir Len Hutton’s record was 73.33 and Peter May and Sir Colin Cowdrey both had a record of 66.66%.
You can go back even further and you will find WG Grace and Arthur Shrewsbury had higher percentages but like Bob Willis captained their country in less than 20 games.
Here is a comparison based on the games each captained. What is sad is how so many leading media personalities seem to know little about the game before 1990. They may be good analysts but clearly do not know the history of the game.
| Captain | Matches | Wins | Losses | Draws |
| Ben Stokes | 44 | 24 | 18 | 2 |
| Andrew Strauss | 50 | 24 | 11 | 15 |
| Michael Vaughan | 51 | 26 | 11 | 14 |
| Mike Brearley | 31 | 18 | 4 | 9 |
| Ray IlIingworth | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 |
| Len Hutton | 23 | 11 | 4 | 8 |
| Peter May | 41 | 20 | 10 | 11 |
| Colin Cowdrey | 27 | 8 | 4 | 15 |
It is interesting to note that of the seven captains with a superior record to Stokes three were captains of Yorkshire, Hutton, Illingworth, and Vaughan. Although Michael Vaughan was born in Lancashire, but raised in Yorkshire.
Stoke’s record reflects the gung ho approach of “Bazball” with 18 losses and only 2 draws during his reign. Those he is being compared clearly had the view that if you could not win, you made sure that you did not lose,. therefore giving the team teh chance to still win the series.
Worryingly, as has been pointed out, at the present time England has only won 2 of their last ten Test matches. That is not a good record for any captain.
The problem that England has now is finding a new captain, as it would appear that there is no obvious choice within the current squad. Harry Brook was vice captain, but it is not just the incident with a night club bouncer in New Zealand that would have hampered his claim, but more damaging was the stupidity of his dismissal in the second innings of the final test against New Zealand. That, throwing away of his wicket showed a lack of maturity and game awareness.
This lack of leadership shows just how much pressure was on the shoulders of Stokes, and maybe explains his sudden resignation,
In his book “Turning Over the Pebbles” Mike Brearley looks back on his time as captain and states, “Being captain was almost never boring. It could be frustrating, emotionally difficult and anxiety producing. But it has been unfailingly interesting to me. There is in the role always something that can be done better or worse, there are always choices to be made, usually without grounds for certainty. One has to combine intuition with disciplined knowledge.”
One wonders how much Stokes would concur with Brearley’s reflection. One feels that the isolation of the role and the constant scrutiny would understandably wear one down.
To many there was something strange about the whole scenario. Some have said that they feel that there is more to the timing of the announcement and that no doubt this will come to light in the future.
It appears that Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, while still friends were at odds over the way the team was playing. Stokes is a fierce competitor, a man who hates losing, and has clearly taken pride in representing England. There can be no doubt that he will have been hurt and humiliated by his team’s capitulation in Australia. Having had time to reflect on that tour one wonders whether he feels let down by the coach, as he clearly put his faith in the preparation and believed they were ready for an Ashes series.
Since Stokes departure there have been calls that the England hierachy must change, and that the coach too must go. Maybe this is a calculated move by those at the top? With Stokes stepping aside it would validate them opting for a new coach.
There are some that feel Stokes was pushed into resigning and quitting. Others believe that he simply felt let down by the way he felt he was being treated and judged. Yes, he did wrong by staying out after the curfew, but there can be no doubt the one test suspension deeply hurt him.
There is no doubt that England are going to miss him as a player, as he is without doubt one of England’s greatest all rounders and possibly its greatest. He has frequently dragged his team to victory by his own herculean feats with bat and ball. That however takes its toll both physically and mentally that is without the added responsibility of the captaincy.
Stokes made his Test debut in Australia in December 2013, so has been playing at the highest level for 13 years, and has been captain for almost fifty percent of that time, having taken over the role in July 2020 against the West Indies.
As he said in one interview he had fallen out of love with the game at the highest level. On BBC Test match Special he said, “I absolutely love cricket. I love the sport and that’s something I need to make sure that I always feel like I’m doing and over the last six months, 12 months, however long it may be there’s been certain moments where I feel like I haven’t loved it. My time last week back with Durham there wasn’t a moment when I didn’t. And so being able to compare what it was like being back at my county where everything sort of started with me and people who I grew up with and then comparing it to here (Test Cricket), where I’ve always loved, to not feel that sense of love, and complete and utter enjoyment like I have done for pretty much the 100 and whatever Test matches before then, you just sort of know being able to compare what it was like last week playing for Durham and comparing it to all of the other things this week. Yeah it was tough to see me going on past this test match.”
This comment is a telling one. It also lends strength to the argument that County cricket not only serves a purpose in unearthing Test players of the future, but it also gives players who are playing at that pinnacle of the game the opportunity to offer them a release from the high pressure stakes. A time when a player can indeed go back and enjoy playing. Stokes comment exposes a very real flaw in the Centralised contract system, and also the England Cricket calendar which for years now has prevented these top players playing for their counties in front of those more localised fans.
England Cricket clearly has a lot to learn, and Ben Stokes’s career, if they choose to look at it will given them many indications as to what needs to be fixed or tweaked. Yet one feels that those at the top of the game are far too myopic to see what is right under their noses.
Stokes will be a big loss to English cricket, He has been fearless and unforgettable. Yet like so many outstanding sportspeople has also been flawed; many of the greats are wired differently to the rest of us, that is what makes them who they are.
Stokes loves a challenge, and in his career he has played in six Ashes series and only beaten Australia once in England in 2015. There are many who believe that after falling back in love with the game at Durham, Stokes will be mentally recharged to come out of retirement in 2027 and play a part in England’s campaign to reclaim the Ashes as his final swan song. Was this in fact the agreement made with the ECB? Take a break and come back in a year?
More importantly Is a comeback for the Ashes series really too unbelievable?
