Rob Key lauds Ben Stokes for his ‘selfless’ decision

• Key praises Stokes for his decision.
• Stokes will play his last ODI against SA.
• McCullum and Stokes have revitalized Test cricket.

Rob Key, the executive director of cricket for England, hailed Ben Stokes for his “selfless” choice to retire from one-day internationals despite its “financial implications.”

Stokes will play his 105th and last ODI at Durham on Tuesday after quitting the format 24 hours earlier.

Key’s first act after appointment as Managing Director was to hire Stokes as Englan’s new skipper, but he knows great international players can’t play in all formats.

While Stokes’ core contract could be reviewed, Key believes England’s Test and T20 squads will benefit from a lighter workload.

“It may well end up having financial implications to Ben Stokes in terms of his contract,” Key told an international news channel.

“That’s why it’s a selfless decision, he could easily have said ‘no, no, I’m the key’ and kept getting picked in the 50-over team.

“But he wants to do the Test job as best as he can, he wants to take England’s Test team forward.

“I was probably surprised at the timing but I’m not surprised that he’s had to give one format away. I think it’s a good decision from Ben that England will benefit from in the long term.”

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Key spoke to Stokes about his choice last Thursday and believes he wanted to continue batting and bowling in Tests.

Stokes and the new red-ball coach Brendon McCullum have revitalised England’s Test performance.

Since the pair assumed leadership, England has swept a three-Test series against New Zealand and won the final match of a Covid-delayed series against India.

“Him bowling is actually the thing he wants to be able to do, he doesn’t just want to go and be a batter, he wants to be able to contribute as an all-rounder,” Key said.

“To do that he feels this is the best way. I’m hoping and I’m betting that this is what gets him up to 120-plus Test matches.”

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