Buttler hails Stokes as England Test captain bids farewell to ODI cricket

By Sports Desk July 19, 2022

Jos Buttler lauded the efforts of Ben Stokes after his ODI retirement, stating the all-rounder's Cricket World Cup final heroics at Lord's in 2019 "will live long in the memory".

Stokes announced on Monday that Tuesday's clash against South Africa, which ended in a 62-run defeat for England, would be his last in 50-over internationals as he looks to prolong his career in other formats.

The England Test captain was unable to leave his mark on his final outing, finishing with 0-44 in his five overs with the ball and scoring just five with the bat.

Yet Stokes still finishes as one of just three players to score 2,500 or more runs and take 50-plus wickets in men's ODIs for England (2,924 runs, 74 wickets), alongside Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff.

Those numbers are impressive but his World Cup-winning unbeaten 84 in the 50-over final against New Zealand before scoring eight in the Super Over will remain his crowning moment in the format.

Buttler, who batted alongside Stokes in that Super Over, was quick to recall his World Cup heroics as the white-ball captain thanked his team-mate for his relentless efforts on a consistent basis.

"From myself and all England fans, we want to say thank you for everything he has done in this form of the game," Buttler told BBC Test Match Special. 

"I know three years ago will live long in the memory but every day he turns up for this team, he puts in 100 per cent. He's been a fantastic ambassador for us in ODI cricket and we'll miss him."

Buttler suffered back-to-back series defeats against India in T20I and ODI cricket to start his captaincy, before losing the first of the three-match series against South Africa at Chester-le-Street.

The wicket-keeper batsman has passed 50 just once in his last seven white-ball outings and acknowledged it may take time for his new England side to adapt to life without former skipper Eoin Morgan.

"We just haven't quite played to our potential yet this summer. We are a different team at the minute," he added.

"There is a pretty inexperienced bowling attack with not loads of games under their belt and I think we're learning about those guys and about us a team.

"It certainly feels like a little bit of a changing of the times for us, it certainly feels that we need to rebuild from another point of view.

"We haven't quite found our rhythm in 50-over cricket as we have for a long period of time, but I'm sure it is not far away and it will feel like we're getting back to where we need to be.

"We've got fantastic players with an opportunity and other guys waiting in the wings to come back. I'm very confident in the team."

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