Ben Stokes Joins the 'Has-Beens' Club: Ian Botham's Witty Welcome

Ben Stokes has joined the 'has-beens' club, according to Ian Botham, a fellow England all-rounder. Botham made the witty comment during an interview on Test Match Special during the first one-day international between England and India.

What happened?

Ben Stokes retired as England captain last month, bringing an end to a 15-year career. The decision was made in extraordinary fashion at Trent Bridge, where Stokes announced his retirement 15 minutes before tea on day four as his team careered towards a series defeat. The final month of Stokes's captaincy was dominated by the Rex Rooms saga, the latest in a string of off-field incidents for his team since the start of last year's Ashes.

Why it matters for Ben Stokes

Stokes's retirement has been met with a mix of reactions from former players, with some criticizing his decision to stay out beyond midnight after England beat New Zealand at Lord's. Ian Botham, a fellow England all-rounder, was critical of Stokes's actions, saying: "Some people just don't learn do they? It's as simple as that." Botham also questioned Stokes's decision to stay out late, given his role as captain.

What comes next?

Ben Stokes is expected to return to action for the first time since his Test retirement in Durham's MetroBank One-Day Cup opener at Derby on Tuesday. Stokes will play a full 50-over campaign for Durham, the county who developed him. He is also expected to play a full part in their championship run-in, with the county already within touching distance of an immediate return to Divi.

Stokes has not played a single white-ball match for almost two years, and this will be his first 50-over match since he came out of retirement for the 2023 World Cup in India. The 33-year-old all-rounder has a lot to prove as he looks to return to the top of his game.

The row with Ian Botham

Ian Botham and Ben Stokes have a long history, with Botham being chairman of Durham, Stokes's county, at one point. However, their relationship appears to have soured in recent times. Botham criticized Stokes for staying out beyond midnight after England beat New Zealand at Lord's, saying: "I don't see how you can justify what happened after the game, especially when you were probably very much in charge of when the curfew is, midnight."

Stokes responded ambiguously on X, formerly Twitter, saying: "The quote 'It's better to be a has-been than a never-been' originates from Lord Ian Botham." The comment was seen as a dig at Botham's comments, but Stokes has not publicly commented on the row.

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