Ben Stokes may have walked away from England cricket, but don’t mistake that for retirement from the game itself.
Less than a month after bringing down the curtain on a remarkable 15-year international career, Stokes is already preparing for a return to action. Only this time, it won’t be in England colours or under the bright lights of The Hundred. Instead, the former England captain is heading back to where he began his cricket dream. He’ll play for his boyhood club, Durham.
Stokes is expected to feature in Durham’s MetroBank One-Day Cup campaign, with his first appearance likely to come against Derbyshire on Tuesday (July 21). It will be his first 50-over match since the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and his first white-ball outing of any kind in nearly two years.
It is a huge decision, especially considering The Hundred is running alongside the One-Day Cup. Both tournaments are starting at July 21. With the IPL owners joining the Hundred bandwagon, most high-profile English players have jumped at the chance to play in the country’s marquee franchise competition. But you won’t see Stokes playing it.
Why did Stokes choose Durham over Hundred?
The 35-year-old never entered The Hundred auction earlier this year, which automatically made him unavailable for the tournament. Now, he can’t even come in as a replacement player. The same rule exist in the IPL as well. However, it was a choice made by Stokes.
Stokes has never hidden his lukewarm relationship with the competition. In fact, he admitted previously that he didn’t miss playing in it. His experiences in The Hundred haven’t exactly been fond memories either. His 2021 campaign ended with a mental health break, while a serious hamstring injury during the 2024 season derailed another appearance.
Instead, Stokes has decided to contribute to Durham, the county that gave him his first professional opportunity back in 2009. Durham head coach Ryan Campbell revealed that Stokes initially wanted a short break after retiring from England duty. That break included family time, a trip to a safari park and even launching a TikTok account. Now, though, he is back training and looking eager to play.
While Stokes has ruled himself out of The Hundred, that doesn’t mean franchise cricket is completely off the table. Reports suggest his representatives are exploring opportunities for the winter, with the Big Bash League and SA20 viewed as the most likely destinations.
Ben Stokes is not playing in the current season of The Hundred. He previously signed with the Northern Superchargers for the 2024 season but withdrew from subsequent editions to manage his workload and fitness ahead of international commitments.
Stokes alluded to taking up “whatever other opportunities there are” and will doubtless be in demand, even though he has not played a T20 match since August 2024. But he did not register for the Hundred auction earlier this year, so he is not eligible for a replacement deal.
Cricket
ICC backtracks on 14-team ODI World Cup 2027, introduces Super 7 & Super Series
