‘I’m very happy’: Former India captain reacts to Ben Stokes’ shock exit

Former India captain Ajay Jadeja has backed Ben Stokes’ decision to retire from international cricket, saying the England all-rounder had made the “right decision” and suggested the decision reflected his unwillingness to let people outside the dressing room dictate how he should live his life. Stokes announced his retirement after one of the most decorated careers in English cricket, bringing the curtain down on a journey that included match-winning performances in the 2019 ODI World Cup final, an unforgettable Headingley Ashes Test later that year and several other memorable moments across formats. Reacting to the announcement on Sony Sports, Jadeja said he admires Stokes for standing by his principles. “I think he’s made the right call and I’ll go a step further. Especially for the captain of a country’s cricket team to be told what he can and can’t do on an evening, there are some people who can accept that, but geniuses like him won’t be managed by people who aren’t on the field.” Jadeja added that he would understand if such instructions came from the team setup but not from the administrators. “If there are people in the dressing room who want you to do something, that’s a different story. But when the people who run the game try and tell you how to live your life and what to do, I’m very happy. I’m not happy he’s going to retire and we’re not going to see him play, but here’s a man who said, ‘OK, that’s it’.” He was a controversial man. He played controversially.” Stokes’ retirement came less than three weeks after he was involved in an off-field controversy following England’s first Test win against New Zealand. Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the team’s midnight curfew and were reportedly present during an incident at a London nightclub involving a member of ECB security and a Saracens rugby player. The ECB subsequently suspended both players for the second Test while an investigation by the cricket regulator took place, with Joe Root stepping in as stand-in captain. However, the cricket regulator later found insufficient evidence to prove any breach of the ECB’s cricket regulations and dismissed both players. The ECB also said that no blame should be attached to either player for the violent incident, confirming that Stokes was not involved in or witnessed the altercation, while Atkinson was the victim of unprovoked attacks and did not retaliate. Meanwhile, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar admitted he was saddened by Stokes’ retirement, describing it as the end of an era. “It’s disheartening for me to have the two retirements of two all-time greats, Kane Williamson and Ben Stokes, and also the surprising timing of the departures.” Manjrekar said Stokes’ greatness can never be measured by numbers alone. “Ben Stokes, I argued that he is not the guy who will average 50 or 600 wickets, but he had this unique ability to perform brilliantly on the big stage and almost single-handedly win matches for his country, be it Tests, ODIs or T20Is. He believes quality will determine Stokes’ place in cricket history. “That’s the legacy he’s going to leave, and I feel very sad. The people we worship and love to watch, we’re not going to see them again.” One of England’s greatest all-rounders, Stokes played a defining role in some of the country’s greatest triumphs, including his unbeaten 84 in the 2019 ODI World Cup final against New Zealand, his extraordinary 135 not out at Headingley during the Ashes later that summer and his career-best score of 258 in a Test against South Africa in Cape Town in 2016.