Ben Stokes is poised to return from one-day international (ODI) retirement for the Cricket World Cup, which begins in India this October.
Despite retiring as England’s all-rounder last summer, Stokes is expected to help the team defend its World Cup title.
On Wednesday, the 15-man squad for the four-match series against New Zealand in September will be announced.
When announcing his retirement, Stokes, 32, stated that playing all three versions of the sport was unsustainable.
Stokes has continued to play in T20 internationals and is the England test squad captain.
Stokes denied the possibility of returning to the ODI team as recently as June 26.
“I remain retired from ODIs and will not reverse it,” Stokes told reporters.
“[My knee] is something I want to get sorted,” he added. [Between the Ashes and India] is a fantastic time to have some genuine in-depth discussions about what I could potentially do to bowl without worrying about my knee.”
Stokes, who is still recovering from a left knee injury, is expected to play in the World Cup as a specialist hitter.
According to England white-ball coach Matthew Mott, ODI skipper Jos Butler has been hoping to entice Stokes back into the team.
Many publications reported on Monday that Stokes was seriously contemplating the proposal.
Stokes was named man of the match in the World Cup final after England defeated New Zealand to win the tournament for the first time in 2019.
Stokes, who thrives under pressure, also delivered a match-winning performance in the T20 World Cup final in November 2022.
At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, England will announce their roster for the ODI series against New Zealand, which will be contested between September 8 and September 15.
Although England will play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against Ireland at the end of September, many first-choice players are set to be rested.
Stokes has played 105 One-Day Internationals and scored 2,924 runs at an average of 39.
