“He makes his own decisions”: Jos Buttler on Ben Stokes decision to come out of retirement to play World Cup 2023.

England’s versatile cricketer, Ben Stokes, reversed his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs) earlier this week, with the aim of defending their title in the upcoming World Cup. Having stepped away from the format due to a demanding schedule the previous year, Stokes’ decision to return coincided with England’s announcement of the provisional World Cup squad. Consequently, he has been included in the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

In contrast, England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, clarified that the choice to make a comeback was entirely Stokes’ own decision. Buttler noted that there were only preliminary discussions about Stokes’ return to ODIs. He expressed his satisfaction that one of their key players would be accessible for the World Cup in India, scheduled to commence on October 5.

Jos Buttler said “To be honest, it was Ben’s call. You all know Ben pretty well by now – I don’t think anyone talking to him would persuade him. We had some conversations quite a while ago about it and just left it to him to come to me, basically, if he wanted to come back. We’re delighted that he feels ready to come back and any time you can welcome him back into the team is great.”

Recently involved in the Ashes, Ben Stokes played a role in persuading Moeen Ali to end his retirement, and interestingly, a similar turn of events has brought Stokes back to the fold. Buttler also emphasized the significance of Stokes and his contributions to England’s white-ball cricket setup.

“I don’t think you need me to tell you what Ben Stokes brings to a team. It’s fantastic to have Ben back available. Any time a player of his quality is available again is fantastic. We’re delighted to welcome him back,” added England Skipper