‘Better to be a once than a never’: Ben Stokes hits out at Ian Botham | Cricket News

Ben Stokes responded to criticism from the England great 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 lighthearted comment from Botham on the Test Match Special podcast. Considering Stokes’ retirement, Botham joked that the England captain had joined an exclusive club. “As far as we know Michael Vaughan & I. We don’t know what we are talking about. Old couple. “Ben, if you’re listening congratulations you’ve joined the club. You’re now a has-been,” said Botham. Stokes quickly responded to X, referencing a famous quote often attributed to Botham himself. “The quote ‘It’s better to be a has-been than a never-been’ comes from Lord Ian Botham,” Stokes posted.

post by Ben Stokes

The exchange came 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 victory 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 shown the former all-rounder at difficult moments in his career. “Some people just didn’t learn, didn’t they? It’s as simple as that. We as a club, when he had problems in Bristol, we stood up to Ben Stokes, and I stood up with him as chairman, but I really don’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 many memorable performances for his country.