Ben Stokes Archives

Ben Stokes signs England deal until Ashes 2027

Ben Stokes has been awarded a fresh two-year contract that will take him through to the end of the next home Ashes series in 2027, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday.

The Test captain, whose previous deal had been due to expire next year, is one of 14 players handed two-year deals by the ECB, including pace bowler Jofra Archer and highly rated young batsman Jacob Bethell.

Stokes, 34, has a chequered injury history and has not played any cricket since July following a shoulder injury.

But he is expected to be available for the first Test of a five-match Ashes series against Australia, which starts in Perth on November 21.

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Jonny Bairstow’s central contract has finally come to an end, while spinner Jack Leach also misses out after falling out of favour.

Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket, said the contracts reflect the depth and strength of talent available.

“We have awarded two-year deals to our multi-format players, so we can manage their workloads responsibly and give them the stability they need to perform across formats,” he said.

“We have also secured a number of white-ball players on longer agreements to help us plan effectively around the growing franchise calendar and ensure England remains their priority.”

England Men’s Central Contracts (2025/26)

Two-year contracts): Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue.

One-year contracts: Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Phil Salt, Luke Wood and Mark Wood.

Development contracts: Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Tom Lawes and Mitchell Stanley.

Lapsed contracts: Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, Chris Woakes and John Turner.

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Salman Butt picks Ben Stokes over Pakistan icon in all-time ODI XI

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has picked England all-rounder Ben Stokes over legendary Imran Khan in his all-time ODI XI.

Appearing on a sports podcast, Butt was asked to pick an all-time ODI XI, with no more than two players from one country.

The southpaw picked star players from India, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and England. He chose Ben Stokes as captain while Proteas batting maestro AB de Villiers was slotted in as an opener and wicket-keeper.

The middle order featured Brian Lara, Viv Richards, Kumar Sangakara, and Virat Kohli.

Butt’s bowling attack combined spin and pace: Abdul Qadir and Muttiah Muralitharan provided the spin options, while Wasim Akram led the fast bowling unit alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Jacques Kallis, with Stokes offering an additional seam option.

However, the most notable omission was Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.

Explaining his decision, Salman Butt pointed to the balance of the side.

“Two spinners, three genuine fast bowlers — and because Jacques Kallis also bowled at 140 km/h, plus there’s Ben Stokes as well,” he said.

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When asked about leaving Imran Khan out, Butt praised his status, alongside highlighting the team’s needs and modern-day cricket.

“Yes, he didn’t fit into this team. As an all-rounder, Ben Stokes was my choice,” he explained.

“He couldn’t find a place, what can we do? I’m not denying Imran Khan’s greatness—he’s a far superior cricketer, and Pakistan has probably produced very few players better than him. But if you look at the context and also consider today’s cricket, it’s not the same as the era in which he excelled,” he explained.

“If you bring any of those players into modern cricket, even one of them, you have to consider everything — fitness levels, their performances over time, their match-winning ability, their leadership, their multiple roles. That’s how I looked at it when I made my ODI XI,” Butt added.

He further clarified his picks, explaining that he had picked players with modern-day cricket parameters in mind.

“Yes, I was asked for an ODI XI, but I tried to consider players across generations. From India, I picked Bumrah and Virat Kohli. Now, of course, people will ask — where is Tendulkar? But the parameters were already given. You have to see how players would also fit into modern cricket,” he concluded.

Salman Butt All-Time ODI XI:

Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, Viv Richards, Virat Kohli, Ben Stokes (C), AB de Villiers (WK), Jacques Kallis, Abdul Qadir, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Jasprit Bumrah

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Ben Stokes to mentor Northern Superchargers in The Hundred 2025

England Test captain Ben Stokes has officially joined Northern Superchargers as a mentor for the upcoming season of The Hundred, taking on a non-playing role due to ongoing injury and fitness management.

Stokes, 34, has featured in five matches for the Superchargers across the 2021 and 2024 editions of the 100-ball tournament.

However, he was already set to miss this year’s campaign after opting to manage his workload ahead of the Ashes series in Australia later this year.

The all-rounder is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained during the fourth Test against India in July.

The injury also ruled him out of the fifth and final Test at The Oval, where Ollie Pope led the side in his absence.

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While he won’t be seen on the field, Ben Stokes will still have a presence in the dressing room, joining head coach Andrew Flintoff’s support staff to guide the Northern Superchargers from the sidelines.

Before his injury setback, Stokes had delivered a strong performance in the series against India.

He bowled 140 overs across four Tests, claiming 17 wickets at an average of 25.24. With the bat, he amassed 304 runs in seven innings at an impressive average of 43.43.

It is worth mentioning that in Stokes’ absence, India edged out England by six runs in a thrilling final Test at The Oval, drawing the five-match series 2-2 last week.

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Ben Stokes braced for ’emotional’ tribute to late Graham Thorpe

Ben Stokes is preparing himself for an “emotional” tribute to Graham Thorpe when the late former England batter is honoured during this week’s fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval.

Thorpe took his own life on August 4, 2024, having battled depression and anxiety for several years, with police confirming he had died following an incident on a railway line near his home.

The left-handed batsman, who spent his entire professional career in south London with Oval-based Surrey, scored 6,744 Test runs at an average of 44.66 in 100 matches from 1993 to 2005.

He later held various coaching positions, including a role as England’s batting chief, where he worked with current players such as Test captain Stokes and Joe Root.

A Day for Thorpey will be held on Friday, August 1, in support of mental health charity Mind on what would have been his 56th birthday.

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“Thorpey’s been a very influential character as a player and a coach in English cricket,” Stokes told reporters at the Oval on Wednesday.

“A few of us in that dressing room spent a lot of time with him coming through the ranks and, as we got into the main (England) team, Thorpey spent a lot of years around us.”

The all-rounder, who will miss the Oval finale because of a shoulder injury, added: “It’s going to be a special day for all English fans, a special day for his family to see how much he meant to English cricket and how much he means to the current England dressing room.”

Coroner Jonathan Stevens recorded an official verdict of suicide at an inquest last week but said there had been “shortcomings in the care” provided to the retired cricketer in his final months.

The fifth Test at the Oval starts on Thursday, with England 2-1 up in the series.

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Kevin Pietersen defends Ben Stokes amid controversy over fourth Test draw

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has thrown his weight behind Ben Stokes following the handshake controversy during the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford.

The Three Lions captain, Stokes, has been under fire regarding his behavior during the final few moments of the Manchester Test.

With India’s batters, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, nearing their centuries on Sunday, England offered India the option to shake hands and accept the draw; however, the visitors chose to stay on the field until both batters completed their tons.

As a result, England utilized their part-time bowlers and allowed Harry Brook to bowl until the final moments against the Indian batters.

Now, Kevin Pietersen has come out in the defence of England’s captain and defended England’s frustration.

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“Two days fielding and no result on the cards – you WANT to get off the field!” he wrote on X.

“You cannot have a pop at Stokes for his frustration. Very easy to have a pop at him when you’re sitting in your lounge watching. You’re NOT in the battle. Leave the men in the ring to be emotional,” Kevin Pitersen added.

Ben Stokes has been heavily criticized for shaking hands despite Indian batters playing in their nineties.

Earlier, England legend Geoffrey Boycott also criticized England’s approach during the final hour of the Test match.

“What goes around comes around. England were gobby enough when it suited them, so you can’t blame India for wanting to stay on and allow two batsmen who had worked their socks off to reach their hundreds,” Boycott wrote in a British outlet.

“Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar deserved their hundreds. They left the ball well, played with the full face of the bat, and defended their wickets at all costs. Well done.”

He highlighted the Indian batters’ resilience and said that he would have done the same as Jadeja and Sundar did.

“These India players are tough cookies. They do not take a backward step. There is no way I would have let anyone drag me off on 89 after I had worked hard all day to save the game for my team,” Geoffrey Boycott wrote.

It is worth noting that India managed to salvage a draw despite England’s substantial lead. Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar starred with tons and managed to keep the series alive.

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KL Rahul, Shubman Gill frustrate England after Ben Stokes century

India captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul excelled in a remarkable defensive effort as they halted the home team’s attempt to secure a series-clinching victory in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Saturday, following a long-awaited century from England captain Ben Stokes.

Gill came in with India in dire straits at 0-2 after Chris Woakes struck with successive deliveries in the first over of India’s second innings to have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan both caught in the slips for ducks.

That left India more than 300 runs behind the mammoth first-innings total of 669 by England, featuring Stokes’ superb 141.

But an engrossing series of several twists and turns produced another as India reached stumps on the fourth day without further loss at 174-2, with opener KL Rahul 87 not out and Gill 78 not out.

India still face a deficit of 137 runs but have renewed hope of leaving Manchester with what would be a remarkable draw after England, already 2-1 up in this five-match series, compiled their fifth-highest Test total of all time.

It was a return to form for Gill, who had started his first series as India skipper with three hundreds in four innings, only to manage 34 runs in total in his last three knocks.

Stokes did not bowl himself Saturday, a concerning sign for England following his history of hamstring trouble, after taking an excellent 5-72 in India’s first innings of 358.

His hundred meant Stokes became just the fourth England player to take five wickets and score a century in the same Test after Tony Greig, Ian Botham, and the currently sidelined Gus Atkinson.

It looked as if bowling might not be needed at all on Saturday as Gill survived a hat-trick ball from veteran paceman Woakes.

And the second ball after lunch saw Gill, still on nought, survive an impassioned lbw appeal from fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was convinced he had struck pad, rather than bat first.

But England’s review produced an inconclusive replay, and the original not out decision was upheld.

Gill had made two when Archer rapped him on the pad only for another lbw appeal to be turned down, with the express quick down on his haunches in disbelief.

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The 25-year-old Gill then hit back with two boundaries in three balls from Woakes, a dashing cut followed by a textbook straight drive.

But he might have been out for 46 when an edge off Brydon Carse flew high to point, only for Liam Dawson to drop a two-handed chance.

Gill’s three off part-time spinner Root saw him to a 77-ball fifty before Rahul followed him to the landmark in 141 balls as he repelled England with sound defence.

But Rahul showed a willingness to attack when Archer strayed in direction with an elegant late-cut and forceful pull.

England resumed in command at 544-7 against India after Root had become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history during his majestic 150 on Friday.

Stokes, 77 not out overnight after briefly leaving the field with cramp Friday, delighted Saturday’s large crowd with yet more thrilling stroke-play.

He completed a 164-ball hundred with a leg-glanced four off Jasprit Bumrah.

It was Stokes’s first Test century in more than two years following a whirlwind 155 against Australia at Lord’s in June 2023.

The 34-year-old celebrated his 14th century in 115 Tests by clenching his fist, looking to the sky and making a crooked finger gesture in honour of his late father Ged before raising his bat to a cheering crowd.

With the shackles off, left-handed batsman Stokes drove Washington Sundar for six and the next ball reverse-swept the off-spinner for four.

Stokes then launched Ravindra Jadeja for six, but, trying to repeat the stroke, the next ball he holed out off the left-arm spinner with England exactly 300 runs ahead at 658-9.

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Ben Stokes reignites over-rate row after England penalty

Ben Stokes has again criticised over-rate rules after England were docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points following last week’s win against India.

England won a thrilling encounter at Lord’s by 22 runs to go 2-1 up in the five-match series. But there was widespread criticism of time-wasting from both sides, which led to several delays in play and slow over-rates.

England were ruled to be the main offenders, and the points deduction means they slipped from second to third in the WTC standings for the 2025-2027 cycle.

They were docked a costly 22 points in the previous cycle.

Exasperated England skipper Ben Stokes on Tuesday renewed his call for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to change its rules.

“Over rate isn’t something I worry about, but that’s not saying I purposely slow things down,” he told reporters on the eve of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

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“I do understand the frustration around it, but I honestly think there needs to be a real hard look at how it’s structured.

“You can’t have the same rules in Asia, where spin is bowling 70 percent of the overs, (as) in New Zealand, Australia, England, where it’s going to be 70, 80 percent of seam bowled.”

Nine teams contest the WTC and each nation plays six other sides, three home and three away, over the course of a two-year period.

Teams are ranked by percentage of points won because they play a different number of matches within those six series.

The top two teams compete in the WTC final, with the next three showpiece matches all scheduled to be held in England.

The most recent final took place last month, when South Africa were crowned champions for the first time after defeating holders Australia at Lord’s.

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‘He didn’t listen to me when I was captain’: Joe Root issues bold statement on Ben Stokes

Batting maestro Joe Root has hailed England captain Ben Stokes for putting his body on the line against India in the third Test, eventually resulting in a thrilling 22-run victory at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The three-lions captain Stokes stood tall with his all-round performance, which helped his team in securing a 2-1 lead over the visitors at the home of cricket.

Ben Stokes’ remarkable resilience and leadership were on full display during the fifth day of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy third Test.

The all-rounder bowled the most number of overs, 44 in the match, including a tireless spell of 9.2 overs on the final day’s morning and another 10 overs late in the day to help England seal a memorable win.

Overall, Ben Stokes took five wickets along with 77 runs with the willow and a match-turning run-out of Rishabh Pant in India’s first essay.

Now, Joe Root, who captained England before Stokes, lauded him and revealed some interesting insights behind his work ethic.

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“He doesn’t always listen to me. He didn’t listen to me when I was captain, Root revealed.

“But, no, he knows what he’s doing and he’s got a good handle on where he’s at physically. It was an incredible effort,” he said while praising Stokes.

Joe Root called the skipper the man of the moment and a change-maker who makes things happen.

“He’s just desperate to be the man and make things happen. Incredible effort to be able to do that,” Root added.

The top-order batter stated that he was nervous due to Stokes’ bowling effort and called it an excellent sign for the England team.

“I was just panicking that he wasn’t going to make it through the game after a couple of bad injuries, but he clearly trusts his body now. It’s a great sign for us moving forward. I mean it really is isn’t it, because that’s back to his best,” he concluded.

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Ben Stokes opens up after thrilling Test win at Lord’s

LONDON: England captain Ben Stokes shared his thoughts after his side’s narrow victory over India in the third Test of a five-match series here at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Monday.

England secured a narrow 22-run victory over India to go 2-1 up in the series as visitors failed to chase a 193-run target despite valiant contributions from the lower order.

Ben Stokes, who was also named as the Player of the Match for his all-round contributions, hailed off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. The right-arm spinner took the last wicket with a broken finger to seal a memorable win for the home team.

“I’ve taken myself to some pretty dark places, but if bowling your country to a Test match win doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does. Bashir, it was written in the stars to take that last wicket. An absolute warrior,” he remarked.

The English captain expected something special from Jofra Archer, who made his return to the red ball side after four years.

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“Yeah, part of the reason I went with Jof [Jofra Archer] this morning, six years ago now to the day. He played a major role, and I had a feeling he’d do something special and crack the game open.

“A bit of discussion, Brydon had an amazing spell, but I had a gut feeling that Jof’s going to do something in his first game back. Every time he’s announced on the tannoy, the ground erupts, and when the speeds go up on the screen, the feeling changes,” he added.

Stokes, who underwent hamstring surgery in 2024 during New Zealand’s tour, revealed what it took to put his body on the line during the Test match.

“With what was on the line… I was cooked yesterday, but the game was on the line, nothing was stopping me. I’m an allrounder, I get four opportunities to influence the game, and if one thing doesn’t click… I’d like to score more runs, but you don’t have a chance to worry about anything,” he concluded.

READ: Archer, Stokes shine as England edge India in Lord’s thriller

Ben Stokes’ injury clouds a worry for England in India Test

England will head into the second day of the third Test against India at Lord’s with fresh doubts over the fitness of inspirational captain Ben Stokes.

The skipper pulled up with what appeared to be a groin issue late on Thursday’s opening day, with Stokes receiving on-field treatment before he batted on until the close.

England were 251-4 at stumps, with Joe Root 99 not out and Stokes, who won the toss, unbeaten on 39.

The 34-year-old Stokes’s career has been blighted by injuries, with a longstanding knee problem requiring an operation in 2023, while the all-rounder has suffered two serious hamstring tears during the past eight months.

In an encouraging development for the side, Ben Stokes has been able to operate as a fully fledged all-rounder in recent games after his fitness issues restricted his impact as a lively seamer.

But such is his importance to the balance of the team, with England currently 1-1 in a marquee series at home against India as they build towards a showpiece Ashes tour of Australia, that team chiefs will hope Thursday’s incident is merely a minor problem.

“Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious and he can do something magic and come back strong,” said England vice-captain Ollie Pope. “We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow (Friday).

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“We’ve got a big Test over the next four days, and we’ve got a big two coming up after that, so it’s important to try and manage him.

“That’s one of my roles, to make sure he doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he’s dealing with at the moment.

“I’m sure the physios and medics will work with him to lay out a plan and I’ll help push him in the right direction,” added Pope, who made 44 on Thursday.

Play ended with Root just one run shy of his 37th Test hundred and a record-extending eighth such century at Lord’s.

Pope, however, does not expect the star batter to suffer too many nerves overnight.

“Obviously, he’d have loved to have a hundred red (not out), but he’s got 36 of them, so I don’t think he’ll be too sleepless,” said Pope. “He’ll get his head down.

“It would have been nice to see him get it tonight, but he’ll be looking at the bigger picture and trying to make it a monster innings. Hopefully we can kick on and get 400, towards 500.”

READ: Joe Root’s masterclass keeps India at bay on opening day of Lord’s Test