Star all-rounder Ben Stokes has not ruled out the possibility of coming out of ODI retirement for England's title defence of the 50-over World Cup in India next year. (More Cricket News)
The 31-year-old England Test captain had announced retirement from ODIs in Ju🉐ly, citing pressure on his workload, but less than five months after that decision, he has left the door open for a possible U-turn.
"Who knows how I might feel towards a World Cu🃏p at the time," Stokes was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo website.
He was speaking ahead of the first Test against Pak🅠istan which began here on Thurs🍒day.
Stokes starred in England♑'s 2019 50-over World Cup final win and did the same again when they were crowned T20 champions in Australia in November.
T🎀he next 50-over World Cupꦛ will be held in India in October-November in 2023.
"It's o🅰ne of those things𒐪. Going to a World Cup is an amazing thing to do, to represent your country," he said.
"But at the moment I'm n⛄ot even thinking about that. My focus is solely on this series (against Pakistan)."
Stok༒es was one of the players that missed training on Wednesday as a viralඣ infection outbreak hit the English camp.
Stokes said he was approached by director of cricket Rob Key in the a𓆉ftermath of the T20 success about a return for the 50-over World Cup.
"He pulled me to the side and as soon as he said '50-over World Cup' I ju♉st walked away," said Stokes. When Stokes announced his ODI retirement, he had said it should serve as a warning to authorities over the amount of multi-format cricket players are expected to play.
"There is too m♊uch cricket rammed in for people to play👍 all three formats now," he said in July.
"We are not cars, you can't just 🎐fill us up and we'll go out there and be ready to be fuelꩲled up again."
He had then dis♎missed suggestion he would come back to play at🅠 the 50-over World Cup.
"It wouldn't be fair on anyone 𒉰who gets that opportunity with me not playing this format now to all of a sudden be like, 'Yeah, I'll come back'," he had said.
