England to play upcoming ODI World Cup without Ben Stokes confirms Buttler

• England will play in the upcoming ODI World Cup without Test captain Ben Stokes.
• Stokes announced his retirement from ODI cricket in July 2022.
• Stokes was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.

White-ball captain Jos Buttler has confirmed that England will play in the upcoming ODI World Cup without Test captain Ben Stokes, despite hopes that the all-rounder will reconsider his retirement.

Stokes was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year after leading a revitalized England to series victories over New Zealand, South Africa, and Pakistan in 2022, as well as victory in their rescheduled match against India.

He also contributed significantly to England’s thrilling T20 World Cup final victory over Pakistan, scoring 52 runs without being dismissed.

Stokes announced his retirement from ODI cricket in July 2022, citing the fact that playing all three formats was simply “unsustainable” for him. However, the batter has stated his intention to “give everything” to Test cricket and his “complete commitment” to the T20 format.

However, the legendary all-rounder has not ruled out a return to the format and has hinted that he may play in the upcoming ODI World Cup next year.

“Who knows how I might feel towards a World Cup at the time,” Stokes said in December last year after England were crowned champions of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Meanwhile, Buttler was asked if Stokes would be available in India in October before leading the team in the first of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on Friday in South Africa.

“If he wants to change his decision, of course, he’d be welcomed back with open arms but we are very much at the moment planning as if he won’t be available,” the wicket-keeper batter said.

This summer, Stokes will be primarily focused on leading England to its first Ashes victory since 2015, which Buttler is well aware of. He missed the most recent series in Australia after taking a significant break from the sport to recover from an injury and deal with mental health issues.

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