‘Phirse wohi hai Eng ka Trump card’ – Fans react as Jos Butter calls Ben Stokes’ return in ODI World Cup ‘Great for Cricket’

On 30 August 2023, England will begin their four-match T20I series at home against New Zealand. Then, they will play a four-match home ODI series against the Kiwis from 8 September. But, what is more interesting is that Ben Stokes will make a return in the ODI format from his retirement in that series. 

He is also a part of the World Cup’s provisional squad that the England Cricket Board (ECB) announced. Stokes announced his retirement from ODIs in July 2022 and is now set to make a return ahead of the mega event. On teh eve of the T20I series, while speaking to the reporters, Buttler opened up on Stokes’ return.

“It’s fantastic that he’s made himself available.” – Jos Buttler on Ben Stokes

He said that it’s great for the game to have a star player like Ben Stokes in the World Cup again. Buttler said: “It’s excellent news on all fronts, it’s great for cricket to have a superstar like Ben Stokes in a World Cup. You want to see those players in those major showpiece events so it’s fantastic that he’s made himself available. When a player of that calibre is available again, it’s a no-brainer really that you want them back in your team.”

“You look at the impact he has in every game he plays really, but especially in the last couple of World Cups, he’s the man in the middle with the crucial moment. We’re delighted to have him back, it’s not just the cricket but everything else he brings to the group,” the England skipper further added.

“Ben and I caught up during the IPL, had some good conversations about what he wanted to achieve in the year, so him coming to me and saying that the Ashes is his main priority, but if he could come through that physically he’d like to be considered for the World Cup. So I just left it at that and said you let me know after the Ashes how you’re feeling. We spoke after that, he said he’d be available as a batter and that was enough for me to just say, ‘brilliant, can’t wait to have you back’,” Jos Buttler concluded.

Here is how fans have reacted:

https://twitter.com/GANEH17327531/status/1696709182937059689

https://twitter.com/PaSh18167547/status/1696710134645588033

https://twitter.com/Ayush_Singh8/status/1696755559222161452