Will retired Ben Stokes return to ODI cricket?

England all-rounder Ben Stokes retired from One-Day Internationals in July this year. The 31-year-old played his last ODI against South Africa in Durham. Ahead of England's ongoing first Test in Pakistan, red-ball captain Stokes indicated that the impending 50-over World Cup might entice him to return.

Stokes called time on his ODI career as playing all three formats was "unsustainable" for him. The England all-rounder featured in a handful of ODIs since the 2019 World Cup concluded. In the summer of 2021, Stokes took a break from cricket to focus on his mental health. He had stated his body was "letting him down."

"Being out here, my focus is on this series. But it's one of those things. Who knows how I might feel toward a World Cup at the time. At the moment, I'm not even thinking about that," said Stokes ahead of the 1st Test in Pakistan.

Stokes was the chief architect of England's historic World Cup win in 2019. He slammed an unbeaten 84 in a crucial run-chase against New Zealand in the final. Later, he was pivotal for England in what turned out to be a Super Over for the ages.

Stokes made his ODI debut in August 2011 against Ireland in Dublin. In a career that spanned over a decade, the stylish all-rounder went on to feature in 105 ODIs. He slammed 2,924 runs at a decent average of 38.98. Stokes also has 74 ODI wickets to his name (one five-wicket haul).

The 2023 ICC 50-over World Cup will be held in India. Stokes, who starred in England's 2019 win, could play a pivotal role if he takes a U-turn on ODI retirement. Notably, the all-rounder averages 51.00 with the bat in six ODIs in the nation. Stokes owns a strike rate of 138.58 in India.