Ben Stokes to return to one-day cricket? England coach says 'will see if...' | ODI World Cup 2023

England's 2019 World Cup hero Ben Stokes announced his retirement from one-day cricket in July 2022 to reduce his workload, following a persistent knee ailment.

Ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023, if one has to go by England's white-ball coach Matthew Mott, there is a chance in the slightest to see the 32-year-old return in the ODI format for the Three Lions.

As England prepare to announce their preliminary 18-member squad for the World Cup, Mott was quoted by The Daily Mail as saying, 'Two factors would be crucial before the meeting: a call from Jos Buttler to his fellow England captain Ben Stokes and an updated medical report on another hero of 2019 in Jofra Archer.'

According to coach Mott, 'There has not been a clear direction on what he’s (Stokes) going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I’ve always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field.'

Even as England lost the Ashes Test at Lord's, Stokes stood out with his knock of 155. He also contributed greatly for his team's first victory in Ashes 2023 in Leeds with a score of 80.

Praising Stokes, Mott said, 'Watching him throughout the whole Ashes series, he had such a great presence. He’s done it for years when it comes to performing in one-day cricket and so he’s an invaluable commodity.'

On Stokes Mott added, 'Jos will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben’s pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he’s keen.'

Jofra Archer, the man who bowled the crucial super over against New Zealand in 2019, has been nursing an elbow injury, being in and out of the national side the past two years.

But despite Archer's injury risk, Mott revealed, ‘There is a high chance that we will take risk on a proven performer that has done it on the world stage.'

‘We are planning for him to be available. Obviously, a lot of things have to go his way and it will be a tight timeline but with players like that you are going to give them every opportunity to prove their fitness, and so we will keep an open mind,' the white-ball coach concluded.