Former England captain Ben Stokes hits back on social media after criticism from Ian Botham
Stokes, along with teammate Gus Atkinson, was involved in a nightclub controversy that snowballed into the former hanging up his boots for good.
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Former England captain Ben Stokes has fired back at legendary cricketer Ian Botham after the all-rounder announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the Test series against New Zealand.
Stokes, along with teammate Gus Atkinson, was involved in a nightclub controversy that snowballed into the former hanging up his boots for good. Botham was particularly unhappy with the incident and publicly stated his displeasure at the 35-year-old's behaviour off the field.
On the BBC's Test Match Special (TMS) radio platform, Botham also questioned the lack of effort put in by the England side in recent times and claimed that Stokes is now a thing of the past.
“As we know Michael Vaughan & I. We don’t know what we’re talking about. Couple of old has -beens. Ben, if you’re listening congratulations you’ve joined the club. You’re now a has-been," Ian Botham said on Test Match Special.
In response to the aforementioned statement, Stokes took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond using Botham's own quotes.
"The quote "It's better to be a has-been than a never-been" originates from Lord Ian Botham."
The quote "It's better to be a has-been than a never-been" originates from Lord Ian Botham. https://t.co/VbaWNg75Sv
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 15, 2026
Stokes' retirement was not the only domino to fall in terms of England's Test side. Weeks after the announcement, Brendon McCullum also stepped down from his role as coach of the red-ball side whilst continuing his duties alongside captain Harry Brook in limited-overs cricket.
England are currently in search of a new coach to lead them in the longest format of the game, with the likes of Andy Flower, Richard Dawson and Kumar Sangakkara amongst the shortlisted people, whilst also looking for a new captain. However, it is widely accepted that Brook would take over the reins from Stokes as he is the incumbent vice-captain.
Stokes, meanwhile, is set to turn out for Durham during the 2026 One Day Cup, starting from July 21. The left-handed batter is poised to take the field in his first List A game since playing against Pakistan in England's last game of the 2023 World Cup.
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