In his ODI retirement note, Ben Stokes hit the nail on the head by declaring that playing three formats was “unsustainable” for him. Stokes is a genuine all-rounder. And though he doesn’t bowl as much as Ian Botham, Kapil Dev or Imran Khan did in their peak there is no denying the burnout caused by playing in three formats of international cricket, aggravated by franchise T20 leagues. Gaps between tours are shrinking as IPL expands and South Africa jostle for
In his ODI retirement note, Ben Stokes hit the nail on the head by declaring that playing three formats was “unsustainable” for him. Stokes is a genuine all-rounder. And though he doesn’t bowl as much as Ian Botham, Kapil Dev or Imran Khan did in their peak there is no denying the burnout caused by playing in three formats of international cricket, aggravated by franchise T20 leagues. Gaps between tours are shrinking as IPL expands and South Africa jostle for space in a franchise cricket calendar already crowded with the Pakistan Super League, Big Bash, The Hundred and the Caribbean Premier League, among others. What does a smart cricketer do? Give up one format, of course.
“We are not cars,” Stokes told BBC’s Test Match Special ahead of his farewell ODI on Tuesday. “You can’t just fill us up and we’ll go out there and be ready to be fuelled up again. We had a Test series and then the one-day team had a series going on at the same time—that was a bit silly.
The point of ODIs?
The choice is quite simple. Cricket South Africa (CSA) pulled out of an ODI tour of Australia scheduled for next January because they wanted to preserve the window for a revamped franchise T20 league at home. Stokes’s swansong came in a home series against South Africa that will not count for World Cup Super League points needed for the 2023 ODI World Cup qualification. The pointlessness of the series isn’t lost on anyone. South Africa have rested Kagiso Rabada, for example. The relevance of ODIs is on the wane, especially when you play bilateral ODIs for the sake of it, sans stars with the kind of pull broadcasters hope to cash in on.
Since the end of the 2021 T20 World Cup, India have not fielded a full-strength team in ODIs or T20Is. Their ODI commitments are more superficial in this Super League cycle because they qualify for the World Cup as hosts. India also have deep reserves, like England, to cater to different formats.
Since it boils down to the players, they are more likely to quit the format that has no franchise league and is not as elite as Tests. Then there are forerunners like Lasith Malinga, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis who commanded huge franchise salaries even after giving up national commitments.
Burnout is real
The physical and mental wear and tear playing all three formats cannot be ignored. Former India physio, John Gloster, now with Rajasthan Royals, the team Stokes last played for, had no inkling of Stokes’ decision. “You got to look at him slightly differently,” he says. “Ben is expected to contribute in all three components of the game. Let’s keep the all-rounder separate from others. At his level, his age, having played 10 years of international cricket, and expected to contribute at the highest level in all three formats, is very, very difficult.
“The biggest revelation to Ben over the last few years is the role mental wellness plays. He understands that unless you are on top of the mental side of the game, your physical game will suffer.
Stokes acknowledged that at 31, it was rather early to give up a format.
“Hopefully when I’m 35, 36, still playing Test cricket, I can look back on this decision and say I’m very happy with it.”
The pandemic and living in bio-bubbles have made it more stressful than ever. “If we reduce the load, we reduce injury. If we can increase recovery time between formats, we can reduce injury,” said Gloster. “You will now see this (shift in thinking) particularly with players in the 30-plus bracket. Though they can still play all formats, they may not be able to perform at the highest level because of the demands of the game.”
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