Ben Stokes has never done things quietly, and his retirement from international cricket was no exception. In the middle of a tense series decider against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, the England captain stunned teammates, opponents and supporters by confirming that this would be his final Test for his country.

The announcement dropped during the afternoon session, even as Stokes was charging in with the ball. Within minutes he underlined his sense of theatre, striking with his first delivery after the news became public, drawing an edge that was safely taken at slip. It was a moment that encapsulated his career: drama, pressure and impact, all compressed into a single ball.

Afterwards, Stokes was clear that the decision, while painful, was necessary. He spoke of “rocky times” and the feeling of forcing himself through matches because it seemed like the right thing to do, rather than the thing he truly wanted. The emotional toll of a bruising Ashes defeat, followed by intense scrutiny over a nightclub incident and his subsequent omission, had left scars that even his fierce competitiveness could not fully hide.

He admitted that the Lord’s Test against New Zealand had triggered uncomfortable questions about his future. Having thrown himself into preparation after the Ashes, he arrived at that match feeling strangely hollow, suspecting he had burned himself out. The internal debate over retirement began there and intensified through the current series.

By the time he strapped on his pads for what he now knew would be his final England innings, Stokes described it as “the last nail in the coffin”. True to type, he chose aggression over sentiment, promoting himself to open in a daunting chase of 373. He blasted a 20-ball 30, aiming to “cause a little bit of chaos” and chip away at the target before the final day.

New Zealand’s fielders formed a guard of honour as he walked out, and the Trent Bridge crowd rose again when he departed, caught after another audacious stroke. It was a farewell befitting a player widely hailed as one of England’s greatest all-rounders and a defining figure of his generation.

Stokes now turns back to Durham, the county where his journey began, determined to rediscover the simple love of the game that first drew him in. For England, the search for a new captain starts immediately. For Stokes, the choice has already been made. “It might sound selfish,” he said, “but this is the best thing for me right now.”