Coach in Australia Andrew McDonald I believe the perfect build-up to the 2027 Ashes would be Ben Stokes making a dramatic comeback from Test retirement, admitting he will create a “fairytale” story for one of cricket’s greatest rivalries.Stokes called time on his Test career earlier this year after England’s home series defeat against New Zealand, ending an eventful tenure as captain. His retirement followed a controversial period that also saw him suspended for the second Test of that series before returning for the final and announcing his decision to walk away from the longest format.
McDonald is hoping for a fairytale Ashes return
Speaking to SEN Radio, McDonald said the prospect of Stokes returning for a final Ashes campaign in England would be the ideal narrative ahead of the blockbuster series.“The fairy tale would be that he comes back out of retirement and takes one more Ashes and builds a lot of hype along the way. If you’re trying to promote the series, that’s probably the angle you want,” McDonald said. McDonald added that he still believes the England all-rounder has enough in the tank to compete at the highest level.“For me, he still has a lot of good cricket in him. It will be fascinating to see what happens,” he added.
The New England coach could try to change his mind
After Stokes’ retirement, England also split Brendon McCullum as Test head coach, despite the former New Zealand captain trying to persuade him to continue. McDonald feels the appointment of a new Test coach could reopen the conversation.“Someone who is the new head coach can have a conversation with him. We do not know the definitive reason behind his retirement. He could have just decided that his Test journey was over, but there could still be an opportunity for someone to convince him to return,” McDonald opined. Stokes had explained at the time that retiring from Test cricket was “the best thing for me right now”, although McDonald believes there is still room for a change of heart.Retirement follows controversyStokes’ decision came after a turbulent end to his England career. Following England’s victory in the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test after breaching the team’s curfew by visiting a pub. While neither player was directly involved in an altercation that left a member of the team’s security staff injured, both were disciplined by England management.The pair returned for the final Test, with Stokes apologizing to his teammates before announcing it would be his last appearance in Test cricket. Since his retirement, the all-rounder has continued to play domestic one-day cricket for Durham and recently marked his comeback with a quick century, suggesting he still has plenty to offer on the field.
Ben Stokes’ Test career in numbers
| category | Record |
|---|---|
| depart | 122 |
| run | 7,273 |
| Batting Average | 34.46 |
| Highest score | 258 |
| Centuries of testing | 14 |
| Wickets | 252 |
| Media Bowling | 30.98 |
| The best Bowling | 6/22 |
| Five-wicket haul | 6 |
| catch | 115 |
