Ben Stokes told his England teammates he was retiring from international cricket during an emotional speech inside the dressing room which appeared to catch them off guard.
Stokes choked on his words as he told the Test team his time as their captain would end after the current Test match, the decider in a three-game series with New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
He declined to elaborate on why he was walking away, and why now, instead urging them to finish on a high.
He said: “There’s something I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is going to be [that] this is my last two days as your captain, and my last two days representing England.
“Reasons can wait [as to] why. But I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do. The only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone else please just do the same?
“We’ve got a lot of hard work still to do, and the only thing that I want is to be able to walk off the end of that field, regardless of the result, knowing that I’ve had this group … give everything for the last two days.”
When the news was announced at Trent Bridge it drew a standing ovation from the crowd, and Stokes, playing in his 122nd test, took a wicket with his first ball afterwards.
The 35-year-old, who made his international debut in 2011, has captained England’s test team since 2022. A talismanic figure known for his fearless batting and defiant leadership, Stokes helped England win their first 50-over World Cup seven years ago with an unbeaten 84 in the final.
His unbeaten 135 at Headingley the same summer, which guided England to a one-wicket win over Australia after they had been bowled out for 67 in the first innings, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Test innings of all time.
Stokes added: “The only thing is want is just for everyone to give it, not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team and everything else that we’ve got going forward for you blokes. All the taps on the arse, all the emotion, all that kind of stuff, please can it just wait until the end of this game? Because we’ve still got a s***load more work to do, and I’ve got a s***load more work that I want to do.
“Let’s just go out there and f***ing give absolutely everything for another two days, alright? Because that’s my only intention and that’s where all my energy is right now. Got the emotional side out of it, but now it’s time to work. And everyone else, please just come with me.”