Ben Stokes he responded to criticism from Great Britain Ian Botham with a tongue-in-cheek social media post after announcing his retirement from international cricket.Stokes, who retired from international cricket during the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand last month, was the subject of a light-hearted remark by Botham on the Test Match Special podcast. Reflecting on Stokes’ retirement, Botham joked that the England captain had now joined an exclusive club. “How do we know Michael Vaughan & I. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Couple of old has-beens. “Well, if you’re feeling happy you’ve joined the club. Now you’re a was,” said Botham. Stokes quickly responded to X by referring to a famous quote often attributed to Botham himself. “The quote ‘It is better to be a has than a never has been’ comes from Lord Ian Botham,” Stokes posted.
Post by Ben Stokes
The exchange comes shortly after Botham publicly criticized Stokes following an incident in which England captain and fast bowler Gus Atkinson broke the team’s midnight curfew while celebrating England’s win in the first Test against New Zealand. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Botham questioned Stokes’ judgment and said he was disappointed by the episode, especially given the support he had previously shown the all-rounder during the difficult moments of his career. “Some people just don’t learn, don’t they? It’s as simple as that. We as a club, when he had problems in Bristol, we stood by Ben Stokes, and I stood by him as chairman, but I can’t see how you can justify what happened after the game,” said Botham. Stokes retired as one of England’s greatest all-rounders, bringing down the curtain on a 15-year international career that included more than 250 appearances across formats and numerous memorable performances for his country.