Ben Stokes is a cricketer I have admired for many years. The way he approaches the game, the standards  he sets for himself, and the intensity with which he trains have always stood out. He is the first to arrive  for practice and the last to leave. The commitment and effort he puts into every training session have  always earned my respect. 

It is no surprise that when England have found themselves under pressure in the biggest moments,  Stokes has consistently been one of their greatest performers. His record speaks for itself. Whether it  has been in the Ashes or at World Cups, he has repeatedly delivered when his team needed him the  most. That ability to rise to the occasion has defined much of his career. 

That is why it is such a shame that things have reached this point and that he has decided to move on. It  feels unfortunate, and I cannot help but think there may be more to the story than what we have been  told publicly. 

My feeling is that not everything has been right within the ECB. I also suspect there has been some  fallout from the off-field incident after Lord’s. Beyond that, I wonder if there were occasions during the  Ashes when the way Stokes wanted the team to play did not always match how the group was actually  performing. I am not certain, but there may have been moments when his vision for the side and what  was happening on the field were not entirely aligned. 

Stokes has always been an incredibly wholehearted cricketer. He gives everything every time he walks  onto the field. Perhaps there were moments when he became disappointed that those around him were  not playing with the same approach or intensity that he expected. Looking at everything that has  happened over the last six months, from the Ashes series to the recent incident, it feels like this decision  is the culmination of several events rather than one isolated moment. 

I hope this is not a decision that he eventually looks back on and feels was made too quickly. At the same  time, I genuinely respect the fact that decisions of this magnitude are never taken lightly. You simply do  not make a choice like this without giving it a great deal of thought. It is the timing that feels unusual  more than anything else. 

I still hope that, months or even years from now, he does not find himself thinking that perhaps he could  have carried on a little longer. It is difficult to say because this announcement has come as something of  a surprise. Personally, I certainly was not expecting it. 

With another Ashes series coming up next summer, I assumed he would want to continue at least until  then. That made this decision even more unexpected. 

An outstanding cricketer and leader 

There is no question that Stokes has been an outstanding player. Beyond that, he has also been an  outstanding leader. One of his greatest strengths has been his empathy towards his teammates. His  emotional intelligence, the way he understands those around him, and the experiences he has had  throughout his own life—both on and off the field—have all shaped the kind of captain he became.

Those experiences helped him understand what people around him needed and enabled him to get the  very best out of them. He has a deep understanding of what it takes to become a top-class sportsman.  Throughout his career, he has given an enormous amount to English cricket and to the players who have  shared a dressing room with him. 

Perhaps that, too, is part of the reason behind this decision. I think he is exhausted. I think he has spent  so much of himself, giving everything to so many people, that eventually there has been very little left to  give. 

Stokes knows the standards he sets for himself. He understands that, for him to feel satisfied with his  own performances, he has to give everything every single time. That is simply how he is wired as a  competitor. However, there may come a point when maintaining that same level of intensity over and  over again becomes incredibly difficult. Maybe he has reached that point where he recognises he can no  longer sustain that relentless standard every time he steps onto the field. 

Ultimately, it is a great shame. It is not just disappointing for England—it is disappointing for cricket as a  whole. The game is poorer without Ben Stokes playing international cricket. There can be no doubt  about that. 

This has been quite a significant period for the game. Kane Williamson, one of the greatest players of all  time, is moving on. Now Ben Stokes, another of the game’s greats, is doing the same. 

I also suspect that this story may not end here. There could be further developments concerning ECB  management, and it would not surprise me if there is some upheaval within the organisation. Whether  that happens remains to be seen, but I would not be surprised if more emerges over time. 

With Stokes in middle, something extraordinary was waiting to happen 

Whatever happens next, Stokes deserves to be remembered in the best possible way. Above all else, I  hope people remember him as someone who thrived under the greatest pressure. That is certainly how I  will remember him. 

His contribution was never limited to runs or wickets. From England’s perspective, his value went far  beyond statistics. As an all-rounder, his ability to balance the side was hugely important, but it was his  capacity to change matches that made him truly special. 

He had that rare quality where you never believed the game was over until Ben Stokes was finished.  Whenever he was batting or bowling, you simply had to keep watching because something  extraordinary could happen at any moment. 

As a bowler, he had an incredible knack for producing breakthroughs at unexpected times. Even on flat  pitches, he could suddenly produce a spell that brought two or three wickets and completely changed  the direction of a match. 

When he walked out to bat, people stayed glued to the television because they knew the game could  change. That ability made him a unique cricketer. 

I also do not think we should underestimate what he achieved as England captain. It is one thing to be  among the best players in the world and to contribute with both bat and ball. It is another thing entirely  to become one of England’s finest captains as well.

I would have loved to play under Stokes 

There should be little doubt about the impact he made as a leader. I have no doubt that many of the  players who played under Ben Stokes would say he was the best captain they ever represented. 

I also know that several former England players, myself included, would have loved the opportunity to  play under his captaincy. 

That is why his legacy is really twofold. He will be remembered as a truly great player, but he will also be  remembered as a truly great captain. It is rare to find someone who leaves behind both of those legacies  at the same time. 

He can step away knowing he gave absolutely everything to the game, to his teammates and to England. 

In the end, I simply see this as a great shame. I cannot help wondering whether it could have been  avoided. That is why I feel there may have been more happening behind the scenes than has been made  public. 

Despite those questions, what remains above everything else is admiration. Ben Stokes deserves  enormous praise for everything he has achieved throughout his career, and that is how he should  ultimately be remembered.